A. A natural gas utility shall account for the difference between actual monthly eligible system expansion infrastructure costs incurred on the cumulative investment in eligible system expansion infrastructure and revenue collected through a system expansion rider as a deferred cost. Such deferred costs shall be accounted for as a regulatory asset and shall not be subject to write-off or write-down by the Commission in an earnings test filing made pursuant to Commission rules governing utility rate increases and annual informational filings.
B. If a natural gas utility collects all of the deferred eligible system expansion infrastructure costs, as well as all eligible expansion investment, through a system expansion rider prior to the expiration of the time period specified in its system expansion plan pursuant to clause (ii) of subsection A of § 56-611, the system expansion rider shall terminate. A natural gas utility may extend the system expansion rider beyond the period it is proposed to be in effect if necessary to recover any uncollected deferral or eligible system expansion infrastructure costs. A natural gas utility shall notify the Commission of any termination or extension of a system expansion rider at least 60 days prior to its termination or extension. Such termination or extension of the system expansion rider shall be subject to Commission approval.
C. Deferral of costs recovered pursuant to this chapter shall have no effect on the recovery of any other cost by the natural gas utility and shall not be included in any computation relative to a performance-based regulation plan revenue-sharing mechanism.