The Missouri Public Service Commission will hold a workshop on March 23, 2021 and the state’s investor-owned natural gas utilities (Liberty Utilities, Ameren Missouri, Spire Missouri, Inc. and Summit Natural Gas) are to present information related to potential consequences and options to mitigate the impact of the February 2021 extreme cold-weather event. The workshop is part of an investigatory docket opened by the Commission regarding the February 2021 cold-weather event.

At the workshop, each natural gas utility is to be prepared to discuss:

· What are possible solutions to rules and tariff language that may impede financial relief for the utility and its customers? This could include discussion of the potential extreme prices on PGA/ACA.

· What magnitude of a price increase could result? Could the period of recovery be extended? Would another mechanism such as an Accounting Authority Order (AAO) need to be available?

· Did the gas utility issue operational flow orders (OFOs) lead to penalties to customers? If so, what solutions may need to be considered if tariff language restrictions create extreme hardships for customers? Did the gas utility curtail customers and what impact did that have on the utility system? How did the utility work with its customers during the weather event?

Each investor-owned natural gas utility is to appear via WebEx at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 23. The workshop will be held by video and teleconference via WebEx.

Any comments to the natural gas utility presentations on March 23 may be filed in writing no later than April 8, 2021.

In February, the Commission opened an investigatory docket directing its Regulatory Analysis and Customer Experience Departments, with assistance as needed from other departments within its Industry Analysis and Financial and Business Analysis Divisions, to investigate Missouri’s electrical and natural gas utilities’ preparation for and response to Missouri’s February 2021 extreme cold. A report with initial findings is to be filed no later than April 22, 2021.