42 USC § 16452 - Federal access to books and records

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s16452"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "42 USC § 16452 - Federal access to books and records"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
section_number: "16452"
section_name: "Federal access to books and records"
chapter_number: 149
chapter_name: "NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS"
subchapter_number: "XII"
subchapter_name: "ELECTRICITY"
part_number: "D"
part_name: "Repeal of Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 109–58, title XII, § 1264, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 974.)"
---


# § 16452. Federal access to books and records

**(a)** **In general** Each holding company and each associate company thereof shall maintain, and shall make available to the Commission, such books, accounts, memoranda, and other records as the Commission determines are relevant to costs incurred by a public utility or natural gas company that is an associate company of such holding company and necessary or appropriate for the protection of utility customers with respect to jurisdictional rates.

**(b)** **Affiliate companies** Each affiliate of a holding company or of any subsidiary company of a holding company shall maintain, and shall make available to the Commission, such books, accounts, memoranda, and other records with respect to any transaction with another affiliate, as the Commission determines are relevant to costs incurred by a public utility or natural gas company that is an associate company of such holding company and necessary or appropriate for the protection of utility customers with respect to jurisdictional rates.

**(c)** **Holding company systems** The Commission may examine the books, accounts, memoranda, and other records of any company in a holding company system, or any affiliate thereof, as the Commission determines are relevant to costs incurred by a public utility or natural gas company within such holding company system and necessary or appropriate for the protection of utility customers with respect to jurisdictional rates.

**(d)** **Confidentiality** No member, officer, or employee of the Commission shall divulge any fact or information that may come to his or her knowledge during the course of examination of books, accounts, memoranda, or other records as provided in this section, except as may be directed by the Commission or by a court of competent jurisdiction.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 109–58, title XII, § 1264, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 974.)