Each electric utility shall periodically gather information under such rules (promulgated by the Commission) as the Commission determines necessary to allow determination of the costs associated with providing electric service. For purposes of this section, and for purposes of any consideration and determination respecting the standard established by section 2621(d)(2) of this title, such costs shall be separated, to the maximum extent practicable, into the following components: customer cost component, demand cost component, and energy cost component. Rules under this subsection shall include requirements for the gathering of the following information with respect to each electric utility—

(1) the costs of serving each electric consumer class, including costs of serving different consumption patterns within such class, based on voltage level, time of use, and other appropriate factors;

(2) daily kilowatt demand load curves for all electric consumer classes combined representative of daily and seasonal differences in demand, and daily kilowatt demand load curves for each electric consumer class for which there is a separate rate, representative of daily and seasonal differences in demand;

annual capital, operating, and maintenance costs—

(A) for transmission and distribution services, and

(B) for each type of generating unit; and

(4) costs of purchased power, including representative daily and seasonal differences in the amount of such costs.

The Commission shall, within 180 days after November 9, 1978, by rule, prescribe the methods, procedure, and format to be used by electric utilities in gathering the information described in this section. Such rules may provide for the exemption by the Commission of an electric utility or class of electric utilities from gathering all or part of such information, in cases where such utility or utilities show and the Commission finds, after public notice and opportunity for the presentation of written data, views, and arguments, that gathering such information is not likely to carry out the purposes of this section. The Commission shall periodically review such findings and may revise such rules.

Not later than two years after November 9, 1978, and periodically, but not less frequently than every two years thereafter, each electric utility shall file with—

(1) the Commission, and

(2) any State regulatory authority which has ratemaking authority for such utility,

For purposes of enforcement, any violation of a requirement of this section shall be treated as a violation of a provision of the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974 [15 U.S.C. 791 et seq.] enforceable under section 12 of such Act [15 U.S.C. 797] (notwithstanding any expiration date in such Act) except that in applying the provisions of such section 12 any reference to the Federal Energy Administrator shall be treated as a reference to the Commission.

(Pub. L. 95–617, title I, § 133, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3132.)