WAC 480-73-160

(1) Each pipeline company must use the commission's annual report form and attach FERC Form No. 6 promulgated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 18 C.F.R., Part 357 (Annual, Special or Periodic Reports), for purposes of annual reporting to this commission. Information about the FERC Form No. 6 regarding the version adopted and where to obtain it is set out in WAC 480-73-999 (Adoption by reference).

(2) Each pipeline company must also submit to the commission, in essentially the same format and content as the FERC Form No. 6, a report that documents the costs incurred and the property necessary to provide service to its customers and the revenues obtained in the state of Washington.

(3) Combination and multistate pipeline companies must submit with the annual report their cost allocation methods necessary to develop results of operations in the state of Washington. Approval of cost allocation methods for ratemaking purposes is accomplished only by commission order.

(4) The pipeline company must submit the annual report for the preceding calendar year by May 1st of each year.

(5) Economic regulatory fees. An economic regulatory fee is an annual assessment paid by each company to cover the costs of economic regulation of the industry. The economic regulatory fee is separate from the pipeline safety fee identified in WAC 480-75-240 (Annual pipeline safety fee methodology). The economic regulatory fee is set by statute in RCW 80.24.010 at 0.1 percent of the first $50,000 of gross intrastate operating revenue plus 0.4 percent of any gross intrastate operating revenue in excess of $50,000, except that large combination utility as defined in RCW 80.86.010 shall pay a fee equal to 0.1 percent of the first $50,000 of gross operating revenue, plus 0.5 percent of any gross operating revenue in excess of $50,000.

(a) The maximum economic regulatory fee is assessed each year, unless the commission issues an order establishing the economic regulatory fee at an amount less than the statutory maximum.

(b) The minimum economic regulatory fee that a pipeline company must pay is $20.

(c) The $20 minimum economic regulatory fee is waived for any pipeline company that reports less than $20,000 in gross operating revenue.

(d) A pipeline company must pay its economic regulatory fee by May 1st each year.

(e) The commission does not grant extensions for payment of regulatory fees.

(f) If a company does not pay its economic regulatory fee by May 1st, the commission will assess an automatic late fee of two percent of the amount due, plus one percent interest for each month the fee remains unpaid.

(g) The commission may issue penalty assessments or take other administrative action if a company fails to pay its regulatory fee.