Sec. 6i.

(1) This section shall govern the initial filing and implementation of a gas cost recovery plan under section 6h(3).

(2) The initial gas cost recovery plan may be for a period of less than 12 months and shall be filed:

(a) By a gas utility with at least 1,000,000 residential customers in the state of Michigan, within 75 days after the effective date of this section.

(b) By a gas utility with more than 500,000 but fewer than 1,000,000 residential customers in the state of Michigan, within 90 days after the effective date of this section.

(c) By all other gas utilities subject to commission rate jurisdiction, within 30 months after the effective date of this section.

(3) Notwithstanding section 6a(3), until the expiration of 3 months plus the remainder of the then current billing month following the last day on which a gas utility is required to file its first gas cost recovery plan pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, the utility may alter its rate schedule in accordance with an existing purchased gas adjustment clause. Thereafter, the utility may make charges in excess of base rates for the cost of gas sold pursuant only to subsections (2) and (4) of this section. After the effective date of this section, any revenues resulting from an existing purchased gas adjustment clause and recorded for an annual reconciliation period ending prior to January 1, 1983 by a gas utility shall be subject to the existing reconciliation proceeding established by the commission for the utility. In this proceeding, the commission shall consider the reasonableness and prudence of expenditures charged pursuant to an existing purchased gas adjustment clause after the effective date of this section. On and after January 1, 1983, all purchased gas revenues received by a gas utility, whether included in base rates or collected pursuant to a purchased gas adjustment clause or a gas cost recovery clause, shall be subject to annual reconciliation with the cost of purchased gas. Such annual reconciliations shall be conducted in accordance with the reconciliation procedures described in section 6h(12) to (17), including the provisions for refunds, additional charges, deferral and recovery, and shall include consideration by the commission of the reasonableness and prudence of expenditures charged pursuant to any purchased gas adjustment clause in existence during the period being reconciled.

(4) Until the commission approves or disapproves a gas cost recovery clause in a final commission order in a contested case required by section 6h(2), a gas utility which had a purchased gas adjustment clause on the effective date of this section and which has applied for a gas cost recovery clause under section 6h may adjust its rates pursuant to section 6h(3) to (17), to include gas cost recovery factors.

History: Add. 1982, Act 304, Imd. Eff. Oct. 13, 1982