As used in this chapter:
(a) “Municipality” includes counties.
(b) “Energy transporter” means and includes every utility and nonutility owner or operator, or both, of a natural gas or electric transmission or distribution system, or both, subject to a franchise agreement executed pursuant to this division, provided that proprietary gas pipelines whose franchise fees are set forth in Article 2 (commencing with Section 6231) of Chapter 2 shall not be covered by this chapter.
(c) “Transportation customer” means every person, firm, or corporation, other than the State of California or a political subdivision thereof, transporting gas or electricity on an energy transporter’s transmission or distribution system, or both, when the gas or electricity was purchased by the transportation customer from a third party. Transportation customer shall not include one gas utility transporting gas, for end use in its commission designated service area through another gas utility’s service area, nor shall transportation customer include a utility transporting its own gas through its own gas transmission or distribution system, or both, for purposes of generating electricity or for use in its own operations. In addition, “transportation customer” shall not include a cogeneration or nonutility generation facility when the facility transports electricity through its own electric transmission or distribution system or otherwise delivers electricity in the manner described in Section 218.
(d) “Surcharge” means a municipal surcharge for the use of public lands by a transportation customer as defined in subdivision (c).
(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 487, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1998.)