9-516. Declaration of public policy; eminent domain

A. It is declared as the public policy of the state that when adequate public utility service under authority of law is being rendered in an area, within or without the boundaries of a city or town, a competing service and installation shall not be authorized, instituted, made or carried on by a city or town unless or until that portion of the plant, system and business of the utility used and useful in rendering such service in the area in which the city or town seeks to serve, has been acquired.

B. The city or town which seeks to acquire the facilities of a public service corporation shall have the right to do so under eminent domain. Such action shall be brought and prosecuted in the same manner as other civil actions.

C. A city or town acquiring the facilities of a public service corporation rendering utility service without the boundaries of such city or town, or which renders utility service without its boundaries, shall not discontinue such service, once established, as long as such city or town owns or controls such utility. A city or town which renders utility service outside of its boundaries as prescribed by this subsection shall not be prohibited from selling a part of its utility operation to another utility which operates under regulations prescribed by law.

D. It is declared the public policy of the state that when a city or town has purchased the property or plant of a public utility serving in an area within or without the boundaries of the city or town pursuant to this article, the corporation commission shall not be authorized or empowered to grant a new certificate of convenience and necessity or franchise to any person, firm or corporation to provide the same kind of public utility service within the area or territory previously authorized to said public utility under its certificate of convenience and necessity or franchise, but if the city or town refuses to provide utility service to a portion or part of the area or territory previously authorized to the public utility, the corporation commission may issue a new certificate of convenience and necessity or franchise to a public utility to provide utility service in that portion or part of the area or territory.