1.  Utilities required to provide minimum charge.  Any transmission and distribution utility serving more than 5,000 customers that has a residential rate combining energy and demand costs in a single rate that neither declines nor increases, but is flat as consumption increases shall recover its customer costs through the same rate. As part of that rate, each such transmission and distribution utility shall provide for a minimum charge to include such an amount of kilowatt hours as the commission determines.  

2.  Billing of minimum charge.  The minimum charge must be billed to the customer in such a manner that all transmission and distribution charges to the customer for residential service appear on the bill as a single item.