38.6.201    GAS ENERGY CONSERVATION PLANS

(1) The natural gas utilities in Montana shall prepare individually with their major industrial and commercial natural gas users, (all customers who use over 50,000 mcf of gas a year) energy conservation plans aimed at improving the efficiency of energy usage, especially with regard to natural gas by those users.

(2) The commission authorizes a reasonable cost incurred by regulated utilities in compliance with this request to be included in the operating costs for rate making purposes.

(3) Specifically, the commission requires that itemized instances of energy savings be noted in such a way that they can be proven. For example, a user may not consume as much natural gas in a year as previously, but this would not necessarily indicate an energy savings if an alternative fuel were employed.

(4) Each regulated gas utility and large user, shall jointly submit these plans to the commission by September 15, 1975. These plans shall be detailed and shall include time tables and deadlines for the order, installation and operation, or faze out, of any equipment needed to effect the plan or for any other changes to be made in the operation of the gas user. These deadlines will then constitute part of a binding contract or stipulation and will be made part of this commission's rate tariff regarding that user.

History: Sec. 69-3-103, MCA; IMP, Secs. 69-3-102, 69-3-203, 69-3-108, 69-3-306 and 69-3-106, MCA; EMERG. , NEW, Eff. 1/3/76.