The purpose of said North Carolina Rural Electrification Authority is to secure electrical service for the rural districts of the State where service is not now being rendered, and it is hereby empowered to do the following in order to accomplish that purpose:
(1) To investigate all applications from communities unserved, or inadequately served, with electrical energy in North Carolina, and to determine the feasibility of obtaining such service therefor.(2) To employ such personnel as shall be necessary to conduct surveys, assist the several communities to organize and finance extensions of rural distribution lines; to negotiate with power companies and other agencies for the supply of electric energy for and on behalf of the rural communities that desire service.(3) To contact the power companies and other agencies contiguous to the area and areas desiring service, for the purpose of arranging for the extension by said companies, or other agencies, of service in that community for such extension as may be feasible for the power company, or other agency, contiguous to the area to finance itself.(4) To make estimates of costs of extension which the power company would not be willing to finance and report such findings to the citizens of the community desiring service or to the corporations organized under this Chapter, to be known as "electric membership corporations."(5) To estimate the service charges which said community would have to set up in addition to the rates for energy as may be found necessary in order to make extension self-liquidating.(6) To have authority to call upon the Utilities Commission of the State to fix such rates and service charges as will be necessary to accomplish the purpose, and the right to petition the Utilities Commission to require extension of lines by the power companies when, in its opinion, it is proper and feasible.(7) To have the power of eminent domain for the purpose of condemning rights-of-way for the erection of transmission and distribution lines, either in its own name, or in its own name on behalf of the electric membership corporations to be formed as provided by law. For the purposes of exercising the powers of eminent domain the North Carolina Rural Electrification Authority shall be deemed a private condemnor and shall follow the procedures of Chapter 40A for a private condemnor.(8) To have such right and authority to secure for said local communities or electric membership corporations as may be set up assistance from any agency of the United States government, either by gift or loan, as may be possible to aid said local community in securing electric energy for said community.(9) To investigate all applications from communities for the formation of electric membership corporations and determine and pass upon the question of granting the authority to form such corporations; to provide forms for making such applications; and to do all things necessary to a proper determination of the question of establishment of the local electric membership corporations.(10) To act as agent for any electric membership corporations formed under direction or permission of the North Carolina Rural Electrification Authority in securing loans or grants from any agency of the United States government.(11) To prescribe rules and regulations and the necessary blanks for the electric membership corporations in making applications for grant or loan from any agency of the United States government.(11a) To receive and investigate complaints from members of electric membership corporations.(12) To do all other acts and things which may be necessary to aid the rural communities in North Carolina to secure electric energy.Amended by 2013 N.C. Sess. Laws 187,s. 3, eff. 7/1/2013. 1935, c. 288, s. 2; 1981, c. 919, s. 12.