§ 46-3-271 — Maintenance of books and records of account; inspection of books and records by members; preparation of annual financial statements

(a) Each electric membership corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records of account, shall keep minutes of the proceedings of its members and board of directors, and shall keep at its registered office or principal place of business a record of its members, giving the names and addresses of all members and the number of members. (b) Subject to the limitations set forth in this Code section and in other applicable laws, any person who is a member of the electric membership corporation in good standing shall, upon written demand stating the purpose thereof and the books and records sought to be examined, have the right to examine, in person or by agent or attorney, at any reasonable time or times, for any proper purpose, its books and records and, at his own expense, may make extracts therefrom. Any such inspection, however, may be denied or limited upon one or more of the following grounds: (1) The member refuses to warrant and furnish to the electric membership corporation an affidavit that such inspection is desired for a purpose reasonably related to the business of the electric membership corporation; (2) The inspection seeks information the release of which would unduly infringe upon or invade the privacy of any person; (3) The inspection is sought for a dishonest purpose or to gratify mere curiosity, or is otherwise inimical to the lawful interest of the electric membership corporation or is not reasonably germane to the interest of the member as such; (4) The books and records sought to be inspected deal with trade secrets or information which is privileged, confidential, or proprietary; or (5) The member refuses to warrant and furnish an affidavit that he has not, within the five years preceding the date of the affidavit, sold or offered for sale and does not now intend to sell or offer to sell any list of members of the electric membership corporation or of any other electric membership corporation, or any list of shareholders of a corporation, and that he has not, within such five-year period, aided or abetted and does not now intend to aid or abet any other person in procuring any list of members or shareholders for such purpose. (c) If the electric membership corporation or an officer or agent of the electric membership corporation refuses to permit the inspection authorized by subsection (b) of this Code section, the member demanding inspection may apply to the superior court of the county in which the electric membership corporation's registered office is located, upon such notice as the court may require, for an order directing the electric membership corporation or its officers or agents to show cause why an order should not be granted permitting such inspection by the applicant. The court shall hear the parties summarily, by affidavit or otherwise; and, if the applicant establishes that he is qualified and is entitled to such inspection, the court shall grant an order permitting such inspection, subject to any limitations which the court may prescribe, and shall grant such other relief, including costs and reasonable attorney's fees, as the court may deem just and proper. The court may deny or restrict inspection if it finds that the member has improperly used information secured through any prior examination of the books and records of account, or minutes or records of members of such electric membership corporation or of any other electric membership corporation, or that any other grounds, as set forth above, exist for denying or restricting such inspection. (d) Not later than four months after the close of each fiscal year, and in any case prior to the annual meeting of members, each electric membership corporation shall prepare: (1) A balance sheet or comparable financial statement showing in reasonable detail the financial condition of the electric membership corporation as of the close of its fiscal year; and (2) A profit and loss statement or comparable financial statement showing the results of its operation during the fiscal year. (e) Upon written request, an electric membership corporation promptly shall mail to any member of record a copy of the most recent such balance sheet and profit and loss statement or comparable statement.