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DOCKET NO. 20170179 -GU for a permanent increase in rates, as well as an interim increase in rates pending the Commission's decision in this case. The Commission is the agency, under Florida laws, charged with setting and regulating the rates, fees, and services of Florida utilities and will review the Company's request. The Docket Number assigned by the Commission for this proceeding is Docket No. 20170179 -GU. The Company is asking that the Commission allow the Company to increase its rates and charges to the extent necessary to generate additional gross annual revenues in the amount of $19.3 million, which will enable the Company to continue to provide safe, reliable natural gas service at a level the customers have come to expect, and to approve the Company's depreciation study also submitted herewith in support of the Company's requested increase. The requested increase will provide FCG with a reasonable opportunity to earn a fair rate of return of 6.32 percent on the Company's plant and property used to serve its customers and an 11.25 percent midpoint rate of return on FCC's common equity. The Company's request for interim relief seeks permission to implement a temporary increase in an amount necessary to generate additional revenues in the amount of $4,893,061, for the interim period before permanent rates and charges go into effect in accordance with the Commission's final determinations in this proceeding. The Commission will utilize a "test year" for purposes of setting rates for FCG. The Company has used a projected test year of January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 for purposes of presenting its case, and believes this time period best represents actual conditions in effect at the time new rates will go into effect, as compared with other prior periods. The Company's jurisdictional 13 -month average rate base for the test year period is projected to be $- 299.3 million. Without the requested rate increase, the jurisdictional net operating income for the Company in the same period is projected to be $9.3 million. The projected rate of return is, consequently, projected to be 3.10 percent, while the return on common equity is projected to be 2.95 percent in the test year. As such, FCG asks that the Commission allow the Company an overall rate of return of 6.32 percent, including a mid -point ROE of 11.25 percent. The resulting revenue deficiency is $15.8 million. The Company is also seeking to include the existing Safety, Access, and Facility Enhancement program ("SAFE") distribution facility installations in rate base, consistent with Chapter 366, Florida Statutes. 21Page