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<section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="7-548" title_number="7" title_name="Gas, Electric, and Water Companies" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Electric Industry Restructuring">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, but subject to paragraphs (2) through (4) of this subsection, an electric company to which this part applies shall file tariffs with the Commission that implement a rate stabilization plan consistent with this part.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>The Commission shall review the tariffs required under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Within 20 days after the filing of the tariffs required under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the Commission shall issue an order implementing the rate stabilization plan in accordance with this part and Part III of this subtitle.</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>The order issued by the Commission shall include a requirement that the electric company establish regulatory assets to account for the rate stabilization costs deferred under the rate stabilization plan.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Under the rate stabilization plan, the residential standard offer service rate shall recover the costs to the electric company under § 7-510(c)(3) of this subtitle deferred during the period July 1, 2006 through May 31, 2007.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Any credit or charges to the cost of standard offer service for residential electric customers required or authorized under this part shall be included as a nonbypassable credit or charge on the electric distribution portion of the bill of each residential electric customer of the electric company.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>An electric company may apply to the Commission for a qualified rate order under Part III of this subtitle for the financing and recovery of its rate stabilization costs.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The increase in the total rates charged to each residential electric customer on standard offer service, as compared with the total rates for residential electric customers in effect on June 30, 2006, shall be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>from July 1, 2006 through May 31, 2007, 15% of the total rate in effect on June 30, 2006; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>from June 1, 2007, at the option of the customer, to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the full market rate; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>an intermediate level under an opt-in short-term rate stabilization plan as allowed under § 7-510(c) of this subtitle which will smooth the transition to the full market rate for residential customers without adversely affecting the creditworthiness of the electric company.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Standard offer service for residential electric customers shall be at full market rates under this part starting January 1, 2008.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A rate stabilization cost may not be recovered before January 1, 2007.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>For purposes of calculating the rates to be charged under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the rate stabilization charge may not be considered to be part of the total rates charged to residential electric customers.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The Commission need not conduct evidentiary proceedings under § 7-510(c)(7)(i) of this subtitle to determine the second or subsequent phase of the transition to full market rates under this part.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The electric company shall provide each residential electric customer a deferral credit equal to the difference between the cost incurred by the electric company under § 7-510(c)(3) of this subtitle and the rates authorized in subsection (b)(1) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The total amount of cost recovery deferred through deferral credits provided to residential electric customers shall be a rate stabilization cost to be recovered as a regulatory asset.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The total cost deferred may be secured under Part III of this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the electric company shall perform a reconciliation of any overcollection or undercollection of the deferred costs and expenses resulting from this rate stabilization plan:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>each year during the rate stabilization plan; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>within 90 days after the end of the rate stabilization plan.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>To the extent that securitization is implemented under Part III of this subtitle, any reconciliations made in accordance with subparagraph (i) of this paragraph shall be in addition to any reconciliations made under Part III of this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>Rate stabilization costs shall be recovered by the electric company from the residential electric customers through a usage-based rate stabilization charge over a period not to exceed 10 years.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>Notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle, as approved by the Commission, an electric company may receive a modification in distribution and transmission rates while the rate stabilization plan is in effect. However, the modification may not alter the rate stabilization charges approved in accordance with Part III of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
</section>
