(a) A regulated public utility or a certificated utility that provides telecommunications services operating in the state shall pay to the commission an annual regulatory cost charge in an amount not to exceed the maximum percentage of adjusted gross revenue that applies to the utility sector of which the utility is a part. The regulatory cost charges that the commission expects to collect from all regulated utilities and certificated utilities providing telecommunications services may not exceed the sum of the following percentages of the total adjusted gross revenue of all regulated public utilities and certificated utilities providing telecommunications services derived from operations in the state: (1) not more than .7 percent to fund the operations of the commission, and (2) not more than .17 percent to fund operations of the public advocacy function under AS 42.04.070(c) and AS 44.23.020(e) within the Department of Law. An exempt utility that does not provide telecommunications services shall pay the actual cost of services provided to it by the commission.

(b) The commission shall by regulation establish a method to determine annually the amount of the regulatory cost charge for a public utility. If the amount the commission expects to collect under (a) of this section and under AS 42.06.286(a) exceeds the authorized budgets of the commission and the Department of Law public advocacy function under AS 42.04.070(c) and AS 44.23.020(e), the commission shall, by order, reduce the percentages determined under (h) of this section so that the total amount of the fees collected approximately equals the authorized budgets of the commission and the Department of Law public advocacy function under AS 42.04.070(c) and AS 44.23.020(e) for the fiscal year.

(c) In determining the amount of the regulatory cost charge imposed under (a) of this section,

(1) a utility selling utility services at wholesale shall modify its gross revenue by deducting payments it receives for wholesale sales;

(2) a local exchange telephone utility shall modify its gross revenue by deducting payments received from other carriers for settlements or access charges;

(3) an electric utility shall reduce its gross revenue by subtracting the cost of power; in this paragraph, “cost of power” means the costs of generation and purchased power reported to the commission.

(d) The commission shall calculate the total regulatory cost charges to be levied against all regulated electric utilities under this section. The commission shall allocate the total amount among the regulated electric utilities by using an equal charge per kilowatt hour sold at retail.

(e) The commission shall administer the charge imposed under this section. The Department of Revenue shall collect and enforce the charge imposed under this section. The Department of Administration shall identify the amount of the operating budgets of the commission and the Department of Law public advocacy function under AS 42.04.070(c) and AS 44.23.020(e) that lapse into the general fund each year. The legislature may appropriate an amount equal to the lapsed amount to the commission and to the Department of Law public advocacy function under AS 42.04.070(c) and AS 44.23.020(e) for operating costs for the next fiscal year. If the legislature does so, the commission shall reduce the total regulatory cost charge collected for that fiscal year by a comparable amount.

(f) The commission shall allow a public utility to recover all payments made to the commission under this section. The commission may not require a public utility to file a rate case in order to be eligible to recover the regulatory cost charge.

(g) The commission may adopt regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) necessary to administer this section, including requirements and procedures for reporting information and making quarterly payments. The Department of Revenue may adopt regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) for investigating the accuracy of filed information, and for collecting required payments.

(h) The commission shall by regulation establish a method to determine annually the maximum percentage of adjusted gross revenue that will apply to each regulated public utility sector, the certificated telecommunications utility sector, and the regulated pipeline carrier sector. Other than the cost of services provided to exempt utilities that do not provide telecommunications services, the method established shall allocate the commission's costs, and the Department of Law's certified costs of its public advocacy function under AS 42.04.070(c) and AS 44.23.020(e), among the regulated public utility sectors, the certificated telecommunications utility sector, and the regulated pipeline carrier sector based on the relative amount of the commission's annual costs and the Department of Law's certified costs that is attributable to regulating each sector. For purposes of this subsection, the Department of Law shall annually certify to the commission the costs of its public advocacy function under AS 42.04.070(c) and AS 44.23.020(e).

(i) In this section,

(1) “adjusted gross revenue” means the gross revenue of a utility as modified under (c) of this section, if appropriate;

(2) “exempt utility” means a public utility that does not provide telecommunications services and is certificated by the commission under AS 42.05.221 - 42.05.281 but, in accordance with AS 42.05.711, is exempt from other regulatory requirements of this chapter;

(3) “gross revenue” means the total operating revenue from intrastate services, as shown in a utility's annual report required by the commission by regulation;

(4) “regulated utility” means a public utility that is certificated by the commission under AS 42.05.221 - 42.05.281 and that is subject to the other regulatory requirements of this chapter;

(5) “wholesale sales” means sales to another utility for resale under circumstances that make revenue from the resale subject to the regulatory cost charge imposed under this section.