The commission shall provide for the examination and testing of appliances used for the measuring of a service of a public utility and may purchase equipment, apparatus, and standards required for this purpose. The commissioner of transportation and public facilities may assign the examination and testing function to appropriate staff of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities under AS 45.75. Upon the payment of a reasonable fee established by the commission, a consumer may have an appliance that is used by the consumer tested. The commission shall establish by regulation allowable tolerances with respect to the functioning or operation of the appliance. If the measuring appliance does not perform within these tolerances, the utility concerned shall pay the costs of the test by reimbursing the person requesting the test for the fee paid by that person. This reimbursement shall be made no later than at the time of the next regular billing following the test.