Section 11E. The attorney general is hereby authorized to intervene in administrative or judicial proceedings held in the commonwealth on behalf of any group of consumers in connection with any matter involving the rates, charges, prices or tariffs of an electric, gas, telephone or telegraph company doing business in the commonwealth and subject to the jurisdiction of the department of telecommunications and energy.

For the purpose of such intervention the attorney general may expend such funds as may be appropriated therefor; provided, however, that such expenditures shall not exceed annually the amount assessed against such electric, gas, telephone and telegraph company under the provisions of section nine A of chapter six A.

The attorney general shall have no authority to expend any of such funds whenever the expenditure thereof shall conflict with the duties imposed upon him under the provisions of section three of this chapter.