The commissioner may set minimum intrastate natural gas prices by order, and may increase prices in an existing schedule, but may not decrease prices or set minimum prices on a statewide basis.
§599. Fixing prices Whenever the commissioner, after a hearing had upon his own motion or upon complaint of any party to a contract, shall find that any price demanded, charged, or collected thereunder by any natural gas company in connection with any sale of intrastate natural gas is below the just and reasonable minimum price determined by the commissioner, considering the fair market value of intrastate natural gas of like kind, quality and character, to be necessary to prevent the physical and economic waste, wasteful use and wasteful utilization thereof, or that any rule, regulation, practice or contract affecting such price is unjust, unreasonable, unduly discriminatory, or preferential, or is otherwise contrary to the purposes of this Chapter, the commissioner shall determine the just and reasonable minimum price, rule, regulation, practice or contract which will effectuate the purposes of this Chapter, to be thereafter observed and in force, and shall fix the same by order. The commissioner shall have the power to order an increase in any price contained in the currently effective schedule of such natural gas company on file with the commissioner, but shall not have the power to decrease such price. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Part or any other law to the contrary, the commissioner shall have no authority to fix the minimum sales prices of intrastate natural gas on a statewide basis, but, rather, shall fix said prices on either a contract by contract basis or on a field by field basis in any instance at the discretion of the commissioner. Added by Acts 1973, Ex.Sess., No. 16, §1, emerg. eff. Dec. 8, 1973, at 9:55 A.M.