---
type: "LegalText"
title: "15 U.S.C. § 717e"
description: "Ascertainment of cost of property"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 15
title_name: "COMMERCE AND TRADE"
chapter_number: "15B"
chapter_name: "NATURAL GAS"
section: "717e"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 717e"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc15@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t15/s717e"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-15/usc15.xml"
source_hash: "4bd701d79d09e220d8f5718390056a4e4b511ed89449a4e03d8918a685b50650"
raw_snapshot_hash: "6982338d990ef19d6b52bff6825089bdd6d0ee1233d9382673faf533decd5059"
text_hash: "5e4eff0254c597cd4d06d23d17ebb7e59bbd55456d2e38876b35f1c2801143d4"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 15 U.S.C. § 717e - Ascertainment of cost of property

## Text

(a) Cost of property The Commission may investigate and ascertain the actual legitimate cost of the property of every natural-gas company, the depreciation therein, and, when found necessary for rate-making purposes, other facts which bear on the determination of such cost or depreciation and the fair value of such property.

(b) Inventory of property; statements of costs Every natural-gas company upon request shall file with the Commission an inventory of all or any part of its property and a statement of the original cost thereof, and shall keep the Commission informed regarding the cost of all additions, betterments, extensions, and new construction.

(June 21, 1938, ch. 556, § 6, 52 Stat. 824.)