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Oklahoma · Snapshot open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14

Okla. Stat. tit. 18, § 18-437.2: Powers

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Where this section sits in the code
  1. OK Code
  2. Title 18

A cooperative shall have power:

(a) To sue and be sued, in its corporate name;

(b) To have a perpetual existence unless a limited period of

duration is stated in its charter;

(c) To adopt a corporate seal and alter the same at pleasure;

(d) To generate, manufacture, purchase, acquire, accumulate and

transmit electric energy, and to distribute, sell, supply and

dispose of electric energy in rural areas to its members, to

governmental agencies and political subdivisions, and to other

persons not in excess of ten percent (10%) of the number of its

members;

(e) To make loans to persons to whom electric energy is or will

be supplied by the cooperative for the purpose of, and otherwise to

assist such persons in wiring their premises and installing therein

electric and plumbing fixtures, appliances, apparatus and equipment

of any and all kinds of character, and to accept and otherwise

acquire, and to sell, assign, transfer, endorse, pledge, hypothecate

and otherwise dispose of notes, bonds, and other evidences of

indebtedness and any and all types of security therefor;

(f) To make loans to persons to whom electric energy is or will

be supplied by the cooperative for the purpose of, and otherwise to

assist such persons in constructing, maintaining and operating

electric refrigeration plants;

(g) To become a member in one or more other cooperatives or

corporations or to own stock therein;

(h) To construct, purchase, take, receive, lease as lessee, or

otherwise acquire, and to own, hold, use, equip, maintain, and

operate and to sell, assign, transfer, convey, exchange, lease as

lessor, mortgage, pledge, or otherwise dispose of or encumber,

electric transmission and distribution lines or systems, electric

generating plants, electric refrigeration plants, lands, buildings,

structures, dams, plants, and equipment, and any and all kinds and

classes of real or personal property whatsoever, which shall be

deemed necessary, convenient or appropriate to accomplish the

purpose for which the cooperative is organized; provided, that any

and all such electrical construction and maintenance shall conform

to the requirements and regulations of the National Electrical

Safety Code;

(i) To purchase or otherwise acquire, and to own, hold, use and

exercise and to sell, assign, transfer, convey, mortgage, pledge,

hypothecate, or otherwise dispose of or encumber, franchises,

rights, privileges, licenses, rights-of-way and easements;

(j) To borrow money and otherwise contract indebtedness therefor

and to secure the payment thereof by mortgage, pledge, deed or

trust, or any other encumbrance upon any or all of its then owned or

after acquired real or personal property, assets, franchises,

revenues or income;

hecate, or otherwise dispose of or encumber, franchises,

rights, privileges, licenses, rights-of-way and easements;

(j) To borrow money and otherwise contract indebtedness therefor

and to secure the payment thereof by mortgage, pledge, deed or

trust, or any other encumbrance upon any or all of its then owned or

after acquired real or personal property, assets, franchises,

revenues or income;

(k) To construct, maintain and operate electric transmission and

distribution lines along, upon, under and across all public

thoroughfares, including without limitation, all roads, highways,

streets, alleys and bridges, and upon, under and across all publicly

owned lands, subject, however, to the requirements in respect of the

use of such thoroughfares and lands that are imposed by the

respective authorities having jurisdiction thereof upon

corporations, constructing or operating electric transmission and

distribution lines or systems; provided that in case an area has

been or shall be included, as a result of incorporation, annexation,

population growth, or otherwise, within the boundaries of a city,

town or village, a cooperative which was furnishing electric energy,

or was constructing or operating electric facilities, in such area,

prior to such inclusion, shall be entitled to construct, maintain

and operate electric transmission and distribution lines and related

facilities along, upon, under and across all existing and future

public thoroughfares, and to continue and extend the furnishing of

electric energy or the construction and operation of electric

facilities in such area without obtaining the consent, franchise,

license, permit or other authority of such city, town or village,

subject, however, to compliance with the lawful safety requirements

of such city, town or village as to the manner of constructing and

maintaining facilities on such thoroughfares, and subject to payment

of taxes of such city, town or village that may be levied and

assessed as provided in Section 1201 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma

Statutes; and provided further that if such city, town or village in

which an area has been or shall be included, as aforesaid, owns and

operates a system for the furnishing of electric energy to its

inhabitants, the cooperative furnishing electric energy in such area

shall transfer to such city, town or village, upon its request, the

cooperative's electric distribution facilities used in furnishing

electric energy in said area, other than facilities used in

furnishing electric energy for resale or to premises of the

cooperative, subject, however, to the following requirement: The

city, town or village shall pay to the cooperative an amount to

compensate the cooperative for the fair value of the cooperative's

facilities to be acquired by the city, town or village. If such

cooperative and city, town or village cannot agree upon the amount

to be paid to the cooperative, the city, town or village is

authorized to file a proceeding in the district court of the county

in which such city, town or village, or any part thereof, is

located, for the acquisition of the cooperative's electric

distribution facilities used in furnishing electric energy in said

area, other than facilities used in furnishing electric energy for

resale or to premises of the cooperative, and the procedure followed

and the method of ascertaining just compensation to be paid the

cooperative will be as provided in Article 2, Section 24, of the

Oklahoma Constitution and Sections 53 to 58, inclusive, of Title 66

of the Oklahoma Statutes.

(l) To conduct its business and exercise any or all of its

powers within or without this state;

(m) To adopt, amend and repeal bylaws; and

ive, and the procedure followed

and the method of ascertaining just compensation to be paid the

cooperative will be as provided in Article 2, Section 24, of the

Oklahoma Constitution and Sections 53 to 58, inclusive, of Title 66

of the Oklahoma Statutes.

(l) To conduct its business and exercise any or all of its

powers within or without this state;

(m) To adopt, amend and repeal bylaws; and

(n) To do and perform any and other acts and things, and to have

and exercise any and all other powers which may be necessary,

convenient or appropriate to accomplish the purpose for which the

cooperative is organized;

(o) To have and exercise the right of eminent domain in the same

manner and by like proceedings as provided for railroad corporations

under the laws of this state.

(p) To participate with, jointly own or operate or enter into

loans with any person, firm, corporation, limited liability company

or any other kind of business entity including, but not limited to,

privately owned electric utilities for the construction, operation

or maintenance of electric generation, transmission or distribution

facilities.

Collected 2026-09-14T18:32:36Z. Source file · JSON

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