Section 407-430-1 - DEFINITIONSA. Gas Utility. Gas utility means a gas company, or a natural gas pipeline company as defined in 35-A M.R.S.A. section102, subsections 8 and 10. B. The Commission. The Commission means the Public Utilities Commission.C. Gas. Natural gas or a mixture of natural gas and other flammable gas, including, but not limited to, propane, liquefied natural gas and synthetic natural gas.D. Cost of gas. Cost of gas means the total charges paid by the gas utility for gas received into system supply for sale to its customers, less any cash or other discounts, and less any supplier refunds to be credited in a manner described in section 4(A)(6). This term encompasses associated costs including, but not limited to, labor, carrying costs, or the cost of handling the gas prior to its delivery to the gas utility for sale to its customers. The cost of gas shall also include any back out charges, pay out charges, take-or-pay penalties or similar charges to the extent that said charges have been prudently incurred. The cost of gas shall not include demurrage, purchasing agent commissions, insurance, on system storage costs, or other non gas-related expenses incurred on system by the gas utility.E. Therm. Therm means 100,000 btu's. This would equate to one-hundred cubic feet of one-thousand btu per-cubic-foot gas.F. Total Therm Sales. Total therm sales means total therms sold subject to 35-A M.R.S.A. §4703, as the same shall be amended from time to time.G. Winter Period. Winter period means the six-month period from November 1 through and including April 30 of the following year.H. Summer Period. Summer period means the six-month period from May 1 through and including October 31.I. Base Rates. Base Rates are the rates set in a general rate adjustment proceeding under 35-A M.R.S.A. §§307, 1303 or 1308.J. Base Rate Cost of Gas. Base Rate Cost of Gas is that portion of the Base Rate which is designed to recover the gas utility's cost of gas. See 35-A M.R.S.A. §4703(1). It is a fixed cents-per-therm charge on monthly billed volumes. Since the total amount recovered is dependent on therms billed, it will vary with usage.K. Base Rate Gas Cost Recovery. Base Rate Gas Cost Recovery means that portion of a gas utility's total cost of gas which has been or will be recovered through Base Rates. It is derived by multiplying the Base Rates Cost of Gas by the number of therms sold or projected to be sold.65- 407 C.M.R. ch. 430, § 1