Amends GS 62-133.4 by adding that the Utilities Commission (Commission) must not authorize a rate change to allow for the recovery of the cost of transporting natural gas unless the natural gas local distribution company can prove by a preponderance of evidence that, at the time of execution of the contract giving rise to the transportation costs for which recovery is sought, the company had (1) identified and determined the date and amount of new fueling resource it needed; (2) studied all available alternative fueling resource options; and (3) concluded that the pipeline capacity contracts were the lowest-cost available option. Requires the Commission to consider the company's information and data for a historical 12-month period concerning the company's actual cost of transporting natural gas and transportation volumes.