69-3-1616. Electric utilities -- duties -- nonbypassable charges. (1) The electric bills of an electric utility that obtains a financing order and causes Montana energy impact assistance bonds to be issued must:

(a) explicitly reflect that a portion of the charges on the bill represents Montana energy impact assistance charges approved in a financing order and, if Montana energy impact assistance property has been transferred to an assignee, must include a statement that the assignee is the owner of the rights to Montana energy impact assistance charges and that the electric utility or other entity, if applicable, is acting as a collection agent or servicer for the assignee;

(b) include the Montana energy impact assistance charge on each customer's bill as a separate line item titled "energy impact assistance charge" and may include both the rate and the amount of the charge on each bill; and

(c) explain to customers in an annual filing with the commission the rate impact that financing of the retirement or replacement of electric infrastructure or facilities has on customer rates.

(2) Montana energy impact assistance charges are nonbypassable and payment must be made by all existing and future customers receiving service from the electric utility or its successors or assignees under commission-approved rate schedules or under special contracts.

(3) The failure of an electric utility to comply with this section does not invalidate, impair, or affect any financing order, Montana energy impact assistance property, Montana energy impact assistance charge, or Montana energy impact assistance bonds, but does subject the electric utility to penalties under applicable commission rules.

(4) An electric utility that obtains a financing order and causes Montana energy impact assistance bonds to be issued must demonstrate in an annual filing with the commission that Montana energy impact assistance revenues are applied solely to the repayment of Montana energy impact assistance bonds and other financing costs.