1140

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 393

[(4)] (7) "Submetering" means the installation
of equipment for the purpose of determining the actual use
of electricity per [residential unit in apartment houses as
defined in (a)(2) of this section.]:

(I)  RESIDENTIAL UNIT IN APARTMENT HOUSES
AS DEFINED IN (A)(2) OF THIS SECTION;

(II)  COMMERCIAL RENTAL UNIT IN OFFICE
BUILDINGS AS DEFINED IN (A)(3) AND (5) OF THIS SECTION; AND

(III)  COMMERCIAL RENTAL UNIT IN SHOPPING
CENTERS AS DEFINED IN (A)(3) AND (6) OF THIS SECTION.

(B) AN APARTMENT HOUSE, OFFICE BUILDING, OR SHOPPING
CENTER MAY NOT BE EXCLUDED FROM THIS SECTION IF IT CONTAINS
ANY COMBINATION OF DWELLING UNITS, COMMERCIAL RENTAL UNITS,
OR STORES.

[(b)] (C) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the
Public Service Commission shall promulgate rules,
regulations, and standards under which any owner, operator,
or manager of an apartment house, OFFICE BUILDING, OR
SHOPPING CENTER, which is not individually metered for
electricity for each dwelling unit, COMMERCIAL RENTAL UNIT,
OR STORE may install submetering equipment for each
individual [dwelling] unit for the purpose of fairly
allocating the cost of each [individual dwelling] unit's
electrical consumption. Except in units constructed,
managed, operated, developed, or subsidized by a local
housing authority as established under Article 44A, if,
during the term of any lease or agreement which includes the
cost of electricity consumed for the [dwelling] unit, the
owner, operator, or manager elects to install submeters, the
owner, operator, or manager shall determine the amount of
electric costs saved and pass this amount on to the occupant
of the [dwelling] unit as a reduction in rent or payment.

[(c)] (D) In addition to other appropriate safeguards
for the occupant of the dwelling unit[,] COMMERCIAL RENTAL
UNIT, OR STORE, these rules and regulations shall require
that:

(1)  An apartment house, OFFICE BUILDING, OR
SHOPPING CENTER owner, operator, or manager may not impose
on any [dwelling] unit any utility cost except charges
authorized by the Public Service Commission and actually
imposed by the utility upon the owner, operator, or manager,
which charges have been allocated among the [dwelling] units
in the apartment building, OFFICE BUILDING, OR SHOPPING
CENTER in proportion to the actual usage of kilowatt hours
by the [dwelling] unit. However, an additional service
charge not to exceed $1 per unit per month may be collected
to cover administrative costs and billing; and

(2)  The apartment house, OFFICE BUILDING, OR
SHOPPING CENTER owner, operator, or manager maintain