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ORDER NO. PSC-2018-0028-FOF-EI <br />DOCKET NO. 20180001 -El <br />PAGE 4 <br />Finally, FPL argues that filing for SoBRA recovery in the fuel docket is simply an <br />administratively efficient process utilizing an existing docket with a known filing schedule to <br />adjust its base rates for previously approved capital projects. This eliminates finding and <br />scheduling separate hearing dates each year as SoBRA projects come on line and synchronizes <br />each SoBRA rate base increase with the associated reduction in fuel costs resulting from the <br />projects' commercial operation. Based on these facts, FPL concludes that no jurisdictional issue <br />actually exists and that we have the authority to approve SoBRA charges in this docket. <br />Anal <br />There is one point on which we and all parties agree: that we derive our authority to act <br />solely from the Legislature. United Telephone Company of Florida v. Public Service <br />Commission, 496 So. 2d 116, 118 (Fla. 1986). In Woodford, FPL sought to recover through the <br />fuel factor the capital, operation and maintenance, and return on investment costs for wells <br />drilled in the Woodford Shale Gas Region in Oklahoma, The Court identified our authority as <br />the ability to "regulate and supervise each public utility with respect to its rates and service and <br />to prescribe a rate structure for all electric utilities." Woodford, 191 So. 3d at 900. An "electric <br />utility" is defined as a municipal or investor-owned utility or a rural electric cooperative that <br />"owns, maintains, or operates an electric generation, transmission, or distribution system within <br />the state." Section 366.02(2), F.S. <br />Based on this definition, the Court found that the exploration, drilling and production of <br />natural gas did "not constitute generating, transmitting, or distributing electricity in Florida as the <br />meaning of those terms are plainly understood" and "falls outside the purview of an electric <br />utility as defined by the Legislature." Woodford, 191 So. 3d at 901. Further, the Court found <br />that the Woodford project was not a physical hedge of fuel costs which had previously been <br />determined by the Court to be within our regulatory authority. Id. Having determined that the <br />Woodford project was neither an electric utility activity contemplated by the Legislature nor a <br />physical hedge, the Court found that we had exceeded our authority in approving the project <br />costs through the fuel clause. Woodford, 191 So. 3d at 902. <br />In FPUC. the Court found that we exceeded our authority by allowing the recovery <br />through the fuel factor of capital and return on capital investment costs associated with the <br />construction of a transmission line connecting FPUC's electric system on Amelia Island with <br />that of FPL. The Court focused on the historical purpose of the fuel clause as a means of <br />"adjusting for volatile costs associated with fuel" finding that a transmission line failed to meet <br />this test. FPUC, 213 So. 3d at 718. The Court also relied heavily upon the terms of FPUC's rate <br />case stipulation and settlement agreement, which specifically stated that FPUC could not seek <br />recovery through the fuel clause of costs that had "traditionally and historically" been recovered <br />through base rates and used "investment in and maintenance of transmission assets" as an <br />example of such an expense. FPUC, 213 So. 3d at 708-10. Since no discussion of these <br />settlement agreement terms was included in our final order, the Court found that we had "failed <br />to perform its duty to explain its reasoning" and reversed our decision. FPUC, 213 So. 3d at <br />710-11. <br />Both the Woodford and FPUC decisions discuss what types of costs are appropriately <br />recovered through the fuel clause factor: fuel, purchased power and volatile fuel -related costs. <br />The FPUC decision does not address our inherent authority to allow the recovery of the FPL <br />