602                                     LAWS OF MARYLAND                             Ch. 234

JUNE THIRTIETH, SEPTEMBER THIRTIETH, DECEMBER
THIRTY-FIRST AND MARCH TENTH OF THE FISCAL YEAR. EACH
PARTIAL PAYMENT SHALL BE A SUM EQUAL TO TWENTY-FIVE PER
CENTUM OF THE ESTIMATE OF COSTS AND EXPENSES TO BE
ASSESSED AGAINST THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY UNDER THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION AND SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN TEN
DOLLARS. DURING THE COURSE OF ANY STATE FISCAL YEAR, THE
CHAIRMAN MAY INCREASE OR DECREASE THE ESTIMATE OF
COSTS AND EXPENSES OF THE COMMISSION. IN THIS CASE,
REVISED BILLS SHALL BE SENT TO EACH PUBLIC SERVICE
COMPANY WHICH HAS ELECTED TO MAKE PARTIAL PAYMENTS,
AND THE INCREASE OR DECREASE SHALL BE EQUALLY
APPORTIONED AGAINST THE REMAINING PAYMENTS FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR. ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER FIFTEENTH OF EACH
YEAR, THE CHAIRMAN SHALL COMPUTE THE ACTUAL COSTS AND
EXPENSES OF THE COMMISSION FOR THE PRECEDING STATE
FISCAL YEAR AND, AFTER DEDUCTING THE AMOUNTS
RECOVERED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION, ON
OR BEFORE OCTOBER FIFTEENTH, SHALL SEND TO EACH PUBLIC
SERVICE COMPANY AFFECTED THEREBY A STATEMENT SETTING
FORTH THE AMOUNT DUE AND PAYABLE BY, OR THE AMOUNT
STANDING TO THE CREDIT OF, THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY.
ANY AMOUNT OWING BY ANY PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY SHALL
BE PAID NOT LATER THAN THIRTY DAYS FOLLOWING THE DATE
THE STATEMENT IS RECEIVED. ANY AMOUNT STANDING TO THE
CREDIT OF ANY PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY SHALL BE REFUNDED
BY THE COMMISSION OR, AT THE OPTION OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE
COMPANY, APPLIED AS A CREDIT AGAINST ANY SUCCEEDING
PAYMENT DUE. THE TOTAL AMOUNT WHICH MAY BE CHARGED TO
ANY PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY UNDER AUTHORITY OF THIS
SECTION FOR ANY STATE FISCAL YEAR MAY NOT EXCEED
[[ONE-THIRD OF ONE PER CENTUM]] 0,13% OF THE PUBLIC
SERVICE COMPANY'S GROSS OPERATING REVENUES DERIVED
FROM INTRASTATE UTILITY OPERATIONS IN THE LAST
PRECEDING CALENDAR YEAR, OR OTHER TWELVE MONTH PERIOD
AS DETERMINED BY THE CHAIRMAN. FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
ENDING JUNE_ 30, 1974 ONLY, THE BILLS SHALL BE RENDERED AS
SOON AS PRACTICABLE AFTER JULY 1, 1973, WITH PAYMENT DUE
WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE DATE THE BILL IS RENDERED,
OR BY INSTALLMENTS WITH THE FIRST INSTALLMENT BEING DUE
WITHIN SAID THIRTY DAYS AND THE REMAINING INSTALLMENTS
BEING DUE ON THE PARTIAL PAYMENT DATES SPECIFIED HEREIN.

(C)    THE COMMISSION SHALL MAINTAIN TESTING EQUIPMENT
FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALIBRATING MASTER STANDARD
WATT-HOUR METERS USED BY PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANIES
FURNISHING ELECTRICITY. THE COMPANIES USING THIS SERVICE
SHALL PAY TO THE COMMISSION THE FEES FIXED FROM TIME TO
TIME BY ORDER OF THE COMMISSION. IN SETTING THE FEES, THE
COMMISSION SHALL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO ITS ESTIMATED
EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH MAINTAINING THE TESTING
EQUIPMENT.

(D)        ON DEMAND MADE WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THE
RENDITION OF ANY BILL PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS
SECTION, THE PARTY CHARGED SHALL BE AFFORDED AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD AS TO THE AMOUNT THEREOF. ANY