§ 62-6-15 — Contract rate with the municipality and utilities; how

established. Rates and service regulations may be established by contract between the municipality and the utility for a specified term not exceeding twenty-five years, but only by and with the approval of the commission to be expressed by its order. Whenever any such contract shall be made, it shall, before becoming effective, be submitted to the commission. Unless the commission shall find the provisions of any such contract inconsistent with the public interest, the interest of the consumers and the interest of investors, it shall approve the same, otherwise it shall disapprove the same, and, unless and until so approved, such contract shall be of no effect, but if it be approved, it shall be in all respects lawful. Any such new contract shall provide for a redetermination by the commission of the reasonableness of the rates at such intervals as the commission may prescribe not longer than five years and every order made by the commission approving any contract shall expressly state the intervals at which redetermination of rates shall be made. For the purpose of determining whether any such contract hereafter made is consistent with public interest, the commission shall hold such hearings, after notice, as may be necessary to its determination. This act is intended to make rates in existing franchises and contracts subject to the control of the commission only to the extent that the legislature may lawfully do so. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any contract between a municipality and a utility relating to electric power and energy sales between such entities if the electric power and energy which is the subject of such contract is generated by such municipality's generating facility or its interest in a jointly owned generating facility.

Legislative History

Laws 1941, ch. 84, § 27; 1941 Comp., § 72-515; 1953 Comp., § 68-5-15; Laws