§ 250.91 - Determination of cost.

(a) Subject to the provisions of this section and of any other applicable rule, regulation, or order of the Commission, a transaction shall be deemed to be performed at not more than cost if the price (taking into account all charges) does not exceed a fair and equitable allocation of expenses (including the price paid for goods) plus reasonable compensation for necessary capital procured through the issuance of capital stock (or similar securities of an unincorporated company).

(b) Direct charges shall be made so far as costs can be identified and related to the particular tranactions involved without excessive effort or expense. Other elements of cost, including taxes, interest, other overhead, and compensation for the use of capital procured by the issuance of capital stock (or similar securities of an unincorporated company) shall be fairly and equitably allocated. Interest on borrowed capital and compensation for the use of capital shall represent a reasonable return on only the amount of capital reasonably necessary for the performance of services or construction for, or the selling of goods to, customers for whom transactions are required by the rules of the Commission to be performed at cost. Such amount shall not include the cost of assignment of, or any capitalization of, any service, sales, or construction contract.

(c) Any expense (including the price paid for goods) incurred in a transaction with an associate company of the performing or selling company (directly or through one or more other associate companies thereof), to the extent that it exceeds the cost of such transaction to such associate company, shall not be included in determining cost to such performing or selling company.

(d) Any expense (including the price paid for goods) incurred in a transaction with a person other than an associate company but not at arm's-length, to the extent that it exceeds the expense at which the performing or selling company might reasonably be expected to obtain elsewhere, or to furnish itself, comparable performance, goods, capital, or other items of expense involved (giving due regard to quality, quantity, regularity of supply, and other factors entering into the calculation of a fair price), shall not be included in determining cost to such performing or selling company.