Montana Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers § 69-3-202. Records of public utilities

(1) Every public utility shall keep and render to the commission, in the manner and form prescribed by the commission, uniform accounts of all business transacted.

(2) Every public utility engaged directly or indirectly in any other businesses than those mentioned in 69-3-101 shall, if required by the commission, keep and render separately to the commission, in like manner and form, the accounts of all such other businesses, in which case all the provisions of this chapter shall apply with like force and effect to the books, accounts, papers, and records of such other businesses.

(3) The commission shall cause to be prepared suitable blanks for carrying out the purposes of this chapter and shall, when necessary, furnish such blanks to each public utility. No public utility shall keep any other books, accounts, papers, or records of the business transacted than those prescribed or approved by the commission.

(4) Each public utility shall have an office in one of the towns, villages, or cities in this state in which its property or some part thereof is located and shall keep in said office all such books, accounts, papers, and records as shall be required by the commission to be kept within the state. No books, accounts, papers, or records required by the commission to be kept within the state shall at any time be removed from the state except upon such conditions as may be prescribed by the commission.

(5) Any commissioner or any person or persons authorized by the commission shall have the right to examine the books, accounts, records, and papers of any public utility for the purposes of determining their correctness and whether they are being kept in accordance with the rules and system prescribed by the commission.