(a) It is declared to be the public policy of this State that in order to maintain and foster the effective regulation of public utilities under this title, in the interests of the people of this State and the public utilities as well, the public utilities subject to regulation of the Public Service Commission which enjoy the privilege of operating as public utilities in this State shall bear the expense of regulation by means of an assessment on such privilege measured by the annual gross revenue of such public utilities in the manner hereinafter provided. This assessment shall be in addition to all other fees and charges imposed by the Public Service Commission and the Division of the Public Advocate pursuant to this title.

(b) As used in subsection (c) of this section, the term “intrastate public utility business” includes all that portion of the business of the public utilities designated in § 102 of this title and over which the Commission has jurisdiction under the provisions of this title.

(c) As used in this section, the term “gross revenue” includes all revenue which:

(1) Is collected by a public utility subject to regulation by the Public Service Commission, and

(2) Is derived from the intrastate public utility business of such a utility.

Such term does not include revenue derived by such a public utility from the sale of public utility services, products or commodities to another public utility or to an electric cooperative or municipality for resale by such public utility or electric cooperative or municipality.

(d) An assessment is imposed upon each public utility subject to regulation by the Public Service Commission in an amount equal to the product of .003 (3 mills) multiplied by its gross operating revenue for each calendar year, commencing with the calendar year beginning January 1, 1974. No assessment shall be imposed upon a public utility having a gross operating revenue of less than $10,000 in any calendar year.

(e) On or before March 31 of each year, each public utility subject to the provisions of this title shall file with the Commission an annual gross revenue return containing a statement of the amount of its gross revenue for the immediately preceding calendar year, and a statement of the amount of assessment due for such calendar year accompanied by a check in payment thereof. A copy of such return shall also be delivered to the Division of the Public Advocate. A utility subject to this section which paid an annual assessment greater than $10,000 in the preceding year shall make an estimated payment of at least 40% of the expected assessment no later than 6 months prior to the March 31 due date for the return and final payment. Forms for such returns and amended returns shall be devised and supplied by the Commission.

(f) All returns submitted to the Commission by a public utility, as provided in this section, shall be sworn to by an appropriate officer of the public utility. The Commission may audit each such return submitted and may take such measures as are necessary to ascertain the correctness of the returns submitted. The Commission has the power to direct the filing of an amended return by any utility which has filed an incorrect return and to direct the filing of a return by any utility which has failed to submit a return.

(g) Each payment of the assessment imposed by subsection (d) of this section becomes delinquent at midnight of the date that it is due. If upon filing a return or an amended return it shall appear that a public utility has failed to pay, or has underpaid, the proper amount, it shall pay a penalty to the Commission of 2% of the amount due for each month or fraction thereof that such amount is unpaid. The Commission may enforce the collection of any delinquent installment or payment, or portion thereof, by legal action or in any other manner by which the collection of debts due the State may be enforced under the laws of this State.

(h) In lieu of the regulatory assessment imposed under this section, a telecommunications service provider shall pay an assessment into the Delaware Broadband Fund. On August 1, 2013, the telecommunications service provider shall pay into the fund 1/2 of the amount of its 2011 regulatory assessment in lieu of the amounts due under this section for the period January 1, 2013, through June 2013 and shall continue making payments into the Fund in lieu of any amounts due under this section for an additional 3 years beginning on January 30, 2014, and ending on January 30, 2016, in an amount equal to the regulatory assessment for the year 2011, after which time the obligation under subsections (a)-(g) of this section or to make payments under this subsection shall cease.

26 Del. C. 1953, § 114; 57 Del. Laws, c. 667, § 3; 59 Del. Laws, c. 397, § 1; 67 Del. Laws, c. 260, § 1; 75 Del. Laws, c. 142, §§ 1, 2; 77 Del. Laws, c. 151, §§ 8, 9; 79 Del. Laws, c. 53, § 8; 79 Del. Laws, c. 309, § 1.