The commission may authorize a public utility providing natural gas service to participate in and recover costs associated with statewide energy efficiency programs, including any utility-specific aspects of such programs, provided that when the costs of such programs are recovered via the public utility’s local distribution adjustment charge or a similar rate mechanism, any such charges be made subject to the requirements of N.H. Rev. Stat. § 374-F:3, VI-a for the energy efficiency portion of electric utility system benefits charges.