Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73not60

§3202 Definitions

Title 15 › Chapter 59— RETAIL POLICIES FOR NATURAL GAS UTILITIES › § 3202

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in this chapter. Gas consumer means anyone, a State agency, or a Federal agency that buys natural gas and not to resell it. Gas utility means anyone, a State agency, or a Federal agency that delivers natural gas locally and sells it to final users. State regulated gas utility is a gas utility whose rates a State agency can set. Nonregulated gas utility is any gas utility that is not state regulated. Rate covers prices, charges, rules, or contracts for selling gas. Ratemaking authority is the power to set, change, approve, or reject rates. Sale includes exchanges of gas. State regulatory authority is a State agency that has rate-setting power over a gas utility (not when it sells gas itself). Integrated resource planning means comparing demand-side options and gas supply to cut life-cycle costs while considering reliability, diversity, dispatchability, and other risks. Demand-side management includes saving energy, using it more efficiently, and managing when it is used.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §3202

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For purposes of this chapter—
(1)The term “gas consumer” means any person, State agency, or Federal agency, to which natural gas is sold other than for purposes of resale.
(2)The term “gas utility” means any person, State agency, or Federal agency, engaged in the local distribution of natural gas, and the sale of natural gas to any ultimate consumer of natural gas.
(3)The term “State regulated gas utility” means any gas utility with respect to which a State regulatory authority has ratemaking authority.
(4)The term “nonregulated gas utility” means any gas utility other than a State regulated gas utility.
(5)The term “rate” means any (A) price, rate, charge, or classification made, demanded, observed, or received with respect to sale of natural gas to a gas consumer, (B) any rule, regulation, or practice respecting any such rate, charge, or classification, and (C) any contract pertaining to the sale of natural gas to a gas consumer.
(6)The term “ratemaking authority” means authority to fix, modify, approve, or disapprove rates.
(7)The term “sale” when used with respect to natural gas, includes an exchange of natural gas.
(8)The term “State regulatory authority” means any State agency which has ratemaking authority with respect to the sale of natural gas by any gas utility (other than by such State agency).
(9)The term “integrated resource planning” means, in the case of a gas utility, planning by the use of any standard, regulation, practice, or policy to undertake a systematic comparison between demand-side management measures and the supply of gas by a gas utility to minimize life-cycle costs of adequate and reliable utility services to gas consumers. Integrated resource planning shall take into account necessary features for system operation such as diversity, reliability, dispatchability, and other factors of risk and shall treat demand and supply to gas consumers on a consistent and integrated basis.
(10)The term “demand-side management” includes energy conservation, energy efficiency, and load management techniques.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1992—Pars. (9), (10). Pub. L. 102–486 added pars. (9) and (10).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Additional Definitions Except as otherwise specifically provided, the definitions in section 2602 of Title 16, Conservation, apply to this chapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 3202

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60