N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160A-662: Territorial jurisdiction and service area of district.

(a) A district may be created for one or more entire counties that are totally unserved with natural gas and in which a specific natural gas project has not been approved by the Utilities Commission at the time of creation of the district. A letter from the Utilities Commission to this effect shall conclusively establish that the area is totally unserved and that a project has not been approved. This area is the territorial jurisdiction and the service area of the district.

(b) The creation of a district does not confer on the district the exclusive right to provide natural gas service in that territorial jurisdiction. (1997-426, s. 2.)