---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 13234"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "13234"
heading: "Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authority to approve recovery of certain expenses in advance"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/13234"
units:
  - "Chapter 134 — Energy Policy"
  - "Subchapter II — Alternative Fuels—non-Federal Programs"
---

# §13234. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authority to approve recovery of certain expenses in advance

- (a) **Natural gas motor vehicles—** The Federal Energy Regulatory [Commission](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-2) may, under [section 717c of title 15](/usc/15/717c.md), allow recovery of expenses in advance by natural-gas companies for research, development, and demonstration activities by the Gas Research Institute for [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) on the use of natural gas, including fuels derived from natural gas, for transportation, and [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) on the use of natural gas to control pollutants and to control emissions from the combustion of other fuels, if the [Commission](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-2) finds that the benefits, including environmental benefits, to existing and future ratepayers resulting from such activities exceed all direct costs to existing and future ratepayers. To the maximum extent practicable, through the establishment of cofunding requirements applicable to such [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), the [Commission](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-2) shall ensure that the costs of such activities shall be provided in part, through contributions of cash, personnel, services, equipment, and other resources, by sources other than the recovery of expenses pursuant to this section.
- (b) **Electric motor vehicles—** The Federal Energy Regulatory [Commission](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-2) may, under [section 824d of title 16](/usc/16/824d.md), allow recovery of expenses in advance by electric utilities for research, development, and demonstration activities by the Electric Power Research Institute for [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) on electric [motor vehicles](/usc/42/13211.md?p=13), if the [Commission](/usc/42/13491.md?p=b-2) finds that the benefits, including environmental benefits, to existing and future ratepayers resulting from such activities exceed all direct costs to existing and future ratepayers. To the maximum extent practicable, through the establishment of cofunding requirements applicable to each [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), the costs of such activities shall be provided, in part, through contributions of cash, personnel, services, equipment, and other resources, by sources other than the recovery of expenses pursuant to this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–486, title IV, § 408, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2881.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section is comprised of section 408 of Pub. L. 102–486. Subsec. (c) of section 408 of Pub. L. 102–486 repealed provisions of title III of Pub. L. 102–104, formerly set out as a note under section 717c of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.