KRS 96.570: Powers of boards for municipal electric plants.

Except as otherwise specifically provided in KRS 96.550 to 96.900, the board of the

municipality shall exercise all powers conferred upon the municipality by KRS 96.550 to

96.900. Any board operating under the provisions of KRS 96.550 to 96.900 shall have the

legal power and capacity to perform any act not repugnant to law and shall have the

express power and capacity to do any and all acts or things necessary or convenient for

the carrying out of the purposes of KRS 96.550 to 96.900, including, but not by way of

limitation, the following express powers:

(1) Acquire, hold and dispose of property, real and personal, tangible and intangible,

necessary or incident to the proper conduct of its business.

(2) Construct, acquire, own, lease, operate, maintain and i mprove electric plant or

plants as defined in KRS 96.550, and may provide electric service to any user or

consumer within and without the boundaries of any municipality, and charge and

collect reasonable rates therefor.

(3) Construct, acquire, own, lease, operate, maintain and improve distribution or

transmission line or lines, or generating plant or plants, together with all necessary

and appropriate facilities, equipment and appurtenances, individually or jointly with

any other municipality or rural elect ric cooperative corporation organized under the

laws of Kentucky for the purpose of generating, distributing, or transmitting electric

power or energy and connecting their respective electric plants with a wholesale

source of supply, and in the case of any such joint action, such municipalities and

rural electric cooperative corporations may provide by contract for the method of

holding title, for the allocation of responsibility, for operation and maintenance and

for the allocation of expenses and revenues.

(4) Construct, own, lease, operate and control any and all works, lines, buildings and

other facilities across, along, or under any street or public highway, and over any

lands which are now or may be the property of the Commonwealth or of any county

or municipality within this Commonwealth. The board shall, however, at its own

expense, restore any such street or highway to its former condition and state as

nearly as may be possible and shall not use the same in a manner as to impair its

usefulness or to interfere with or obstruct the maintenance thereof. Before

exercising these powers the board shall obtain a permit or consent or approval in

writing from the governing authority of the municipality, or the fiscal court, or the

Department of Highways having appropriate jurisdiction over any and all of such

respective streets or public highways.

(5) Accept gifts, grants of property, real or personal, including money, from any person,

municipality, or federal agency, or both, and to accept voluntary and uncompensated

services; provided, however, that when engineering services are required by any

municipality or any board or any appraisers or board of appraisers, appointed

pursuant to the provisions of KRS 96.550 to 96.900 to render any services

authorized or re quired or incident to surveys, plans, estimates of cost, or the

valuation of property, or in the preparation of reports authorized by KRS 96.550 to

96.900, no engineer who is engaged in whole or in part in the business of buying or

selling any electric equ ipment, machinery, fixtures, materials, supplies, or the sale

or purchase of bonds shall be eligible for employment or for any services

whatsoever under the provisions of KRS 96.550 to 96.900. The limitations

hereinabove provided shall also apply to any fi rm of engineers and to any member

of any firm of engineers, if the firm or member of the firm is engaged in whole or in

part in the business of buying or selling any electric machinery, equipment, fixtures,

materials, supplies, or the sale or purchase of bonds; and no such firm or member of

such firm shall be eligible for employment or for any service whatsoever under the

provisions of KRS 96.550 to 96.900. Provided, further, that the provisions of this

section shall not be construed to prohibit the board or the governing authority of any

municipality from obtaining the advice or services of any engineer in the regular

employment of the state or any federal governmental agency.

(6) Contract debts and borrow money for the acquisition or improvement of any electric

plant, issue bonds to finance such acquisition or improvement, provide for the rights

of holders of the bonds and to secure the bonds as hereinafter provided, and pledge

all or any of the net revenues derived from electric service to the payment of s uch

debts or repayment of money borrowed.

(7) Acquire, hold, and, subject to the provisions of KRS 96.860 and the applicable

provisions of any bonds or contracts, dispose of any property, real or personal,

tangible or intangible, or any right or interest i n any such property in connection

with any electric plant, and whether or not subject to mortgages, liens, charges, or

other encumbrances.

(8) Make contracts and execute instruments containing such covenants, terms, and

conditions as in the discretion of t he board may be necessary, proper, or advisable

for the purpose of obtaining loans from any source, or grants, loans or other

financial assistance from any governmental agency, including, but without

limitation, covenants, terms, and conditions with respec t to the acquisition or

construction of any electric plant or any improvement thereto with money in whole

or in part borrowed from or granted by any governmental agency; make all other

contracts and execute all other instruments as in the discretion of the board may be

advisable in or for the furtherance of the acquisition, improvement, operation and

maintenance of any electric plant and the furnishing of electric service; and carry

out and perform the covenants, terms, and conditions of all such contracts or

instruments.

(9) Enter on any lands, waters and premises for the purpose of making surveys,

soundings and examinations in connection with the acquisition, improvement,

operation or maintenance of any electric plant and the furnishing of electric service.

(10) Do all acts and things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly

given in KRS 96.550 to 96.900.

(11) Make any contracts necessary or convenient for the full exercise of the powers

herein granted, including, but not limited to, contracts for either the purchase or sale

or both the purchase and sale of electric energy or power, and contracts for the

acquisition or improvement of all or any part of an electric plant; and, in connection

with any such contract with a governmental agency, t he board may stipulate and

agree to such covenants, terms, and conditions as the governing body deems

appropriate, including, but without limitation, covenants, terms, and conditions with

respect to the resale rates, financial and accounting methods and th e manner of

disposing of the revenue of the electric plant conducted and operated by the board,

except that the board shall not have power to contract with the Tennessee Valley

Authority or any other governmental agency for the purchase and resale of elect ric

energy or power unless the contract shall provide that the resale rates of the board

for electric service or electric energy shall be sufficient to cover all operating

expenses, interest charges, and bond payments, other expenses, and payments to the

state, any county, any school district, any municipality, and any other special taxing

district in which the board operates, of amounts determined as provided in KRS

96.820; nor unless such contract provides that the payments to such taxing

jurisdictions be made to them as hereinafter prescribed.

(12) Acquire a franchise to furnish electric service to any other municipality or county or

the inhabitants thereof, and to contract with any other municipality or county to

furnish it with electric service. Such co ntracts may be entered into by the governing

bodies of the other cities or county.