§ 7-36-107 — Powers of authority

Tennessee § 7-36-107

• Jurisdiction: Tennessee
• Title: 7

Text

(a) The authority is authorized, effective immediately upon the effective date of its formation, either singly or jointly with one (1) or more persons, municipalities, or federal agencies, or with this state, or with one (1) or more agencies or instrumentalities of this state or any municipality: (1) To sue and be sued; (2) To have a seal and alter the same at pleasure; (3) To acquire, construct, improve, furnish, equip, finance, own, operate, and maintain within or outside the corporate limits of the associated municipality, a system for the furnishing of electrical service and to provide electric service to any person, governmental entity, or other user or consumer of electric services within or outside the associated municipality. The system shall be operated as a financially separate system independent of, and financially separate from, the other utility systems of the authority, and, except to the extent the authority succeeds to the rights and powers of the municipal electric system, the authority shall not exercise any of the powers granted in this subdivision (a)(3) wholly or partly within the legal boundaries of an incorporated city or town or electric cooperative, except as allowed by law; (4) To acquire, construct, improve, furnish, equip, finance, own, operate, and maintain, within or outside the corporate limits of the associated municipality, a system for the furnishing of water service and to provide water service to any person, governmental entity, or other user or consumer of water services within or outside the associated municipality; provided, the system shall be operated as a financially separate system independent of, and financially separate from, the other utility systems of the authority and managed by the water division of the authority; and provided, further, the authority shall not exercise any of the powers granted in this subdivision (a)(4) wholly or partly within the legal boundaries of a utility district incorporated pursuant to the Utility District Act of 1937, compiled in chapter 82 of this title, or any other municipality, except to the extent the authority succeeds to the rights and powers of a municipal water system or except as allowed by law, without the consent of the governing body of such utility district or municipality; (5) To acquire, construct, improve, furnish, equip, finance, own, operate, and maintain within or outside the corporate limits of the associated municipality, a system for providing wastewater service to any person, governmental entity, or other user or consumer of wastewater services within and outside the associated municipality; provided, the system shall be operated as a financially separate system independent of, and financially separate from, the other utility systems of the authority and managed by the wastewater division of the authority; and provided, further, the authority shall not exercise any of the powers granted in this subdivision (a)(5) wholly or partly within the legal boundaries of a utility district incorporated pursuant to the Utility District Act of 1937, or any other municipality, except to the extent the authority succeeds to the rights and powers of the municipal wastewater system or except as allowed by law, without the consent of the governing body of such utility district or municipality; (6) To acquire, construct, improve, furnish, equip, finance, own, operate, and maintain within and outside the corporate limits of the associated municipality, a system for the furnishing of telecommunications service and to provide telecommunications service to any person, governmental entity, or other user or consumer of telecommunications services within or outside the associated municipality. The system shall be operated as a financially separate system independent of, and financially separate from, the other utility systems of the authority; provided: (A) To the extent that the authority, or any joint venture, partnership, or cooperative arrangement of which the authority is a party, or any limited liability company or not-for-profit corporation of which the authority is a member provides telephone or telegraph services, the authority, or such other entity, shall be subject to regulation by the Tennessee public utility commission in the same manner and to the same extent as other certified providers of such services, including, but not limited to, rules or orders governing anticompetitive practices, and shall be considered as and have the duties of a public utility, as defined in § 65-4-101 , but only to the extent necessary to effect such duties and only with respect to the authority's provision of telephone and telegraph services; (B) The authority shall have all the powers and authority conferred upon municipalities by §§ 7-52-401 ; 7-52-402; 7-52-403; 7-52-405; 7-52-406; 7-52-601 - 7-52-605, but excluding any requirement under § 7-52-603(a)(1)(A) to create multiple divisions for telecommunications services; and §§ 7-52-609 - 7-52-611. In the exercise of such powers, the authority shall be subject to all the obligations, restrictions, and limitations imposed upon municipalities by those sections and imposed upon providers of the services described in those sections by federal law. All actions authorized by those sections to be taken by the board or supervisory body having responsibility for a municipal electric plant shall be authorized to be taken by the board of directors of the authority and all powers granted to a municipal electric system under those statutes shall be exercised by the electric division of the authority; (C) Nothing in this subdivision (a)(6) operates to restrict or impair in any way the ability of the authority to acquire, construct, improve, furnish, equip, finance, own, operate, and maintain a telecommunications system or to offer or provide telecommunications services through one (1) or more other systems of the authority, if such system and services are related to the provision of services of such system or the operation of the system, including, without limitation, load control, meter reading, appliance monitoring, power exchange, billing, or any other similar or component service; and (D) Notwithstanding this chapter to the contrary, the authority shall be subject to the territorial limitations set forth in § 7-52-601 in the same manner and to the same extent as such limitations apply from time to time to a municipal electric system providing services pursuant to § 7-52-601 ; (7) To fix, levy, charge, and collect fees, rents, tolls, or other charges for the use of, or in connection with, any system of the authority as shall be consistent with the provision of the services pursuant to this chapter or sale or other disposition of the commodities provided by the various utilities authorized in this section based on cost, sound economy, public good, and prudent business operations, which fees, rents, tolls, or charges shall be established by the board without the necessity of review or approval by any other municipality, the state, or any commission or authority thereof or any federal agency other than as provided in federal statutes or contracts and other than as provided in subdivision (a)(6). Whenever any fees, rents, tolls, or other charges for telephone or telegraph services regulated pursuant to subdivision (a)(6) are to change, such fees, rents, tolls, or charges shall be established by the board and be subject to review and approval by the Tennessee public utility commission in the same manner and to the same extent as other certified providers of such services; (8) To acquire, hold, own, and dispose of property, real and personal, tangible and intangible, or interests therein, in its own name, subject to mortgages or other liens or otherwise and to pay for property in cash or on credit through installment payments, and to secure the payment of all or any part of any installment obligations in connection with any acquisition; (9) To have complete control and supervision of any system of the authority and to make such rules governing the rendering of service thereby as may be just and reasonable; (10) To contract debts, borrow money, issue bonds, and enter into lease-purchase agreements to acquire, construct, improve, furnish, equip, extend, operate, or maintain any system, or any part thereof, or to provide the authority's share of the funding for any joint undertaking or project, and to assume and agree to pay any indebtedness incurred for any of the purposes described in this subdivision (a)(10); (11) To accept gifts or grants of money or property, real or personal, and voluntary and uncompensated services or other financial assistance from any person, state agency, federal agency, or municipality, for, or in aid of, the acquisition or improvement of any system; (12) (A) To accept and distribute excess receipts for bona fide economic development or community assistance purposes pursuant to programs approved by the board, which programs may include, but are not limited to, programs in which bills to customers are rounded up to the next dollar when the amount of any excess receipt due to rounding is shown as a separate line on the bill, and excess receipts accepted pursuant to such programs are not considered revenue to the authority, and the authority may only use the excess receipts for economic development or community assistance purposes; (B) (i) An authority that establishes a program authorized by subdivision (a)(12)(A) on or after January 1, 2021, shall not enroll any customer into the program without the express consent of the customer; (ii) A customer who is enrolled in a program authorized by subdivision (a)(12)(A) may opt out of the program by providing notice to the authority of the customer's desire to cease participation in the program; (iii) Upon receiving an opt-out notice from a customer, the authority shall remove the customer from enrollment in the program no later than the first day of the customer's next regular billing cycle that begins no fewer than thirty (30) days after the date of the customer's opt-out notice; (C) (i) Any authority that on June 3, 2019, utilizes a program authorized by subdivision (a)(12)(A) and operates the program on an opt-out basis shall send a written notice to each customer of the authority no later than November 1, 2020, that contains, but is not limited to, the following information: (a) A statement that the authority utilizes a program authorized by subdivision (a)(12)(A), the program is operated on an opt-out basis, and a description of the program; (b) Notification that a customer whose bill is currently rounded up by the authority has the right to opt out of participation in the program; and (c) Contact information for the authority and instructions on how the customer may contact the authority to opt out of participation in the program; (ii) The written notice required by this subdivision (a)(12)(C) may be provided to the customer by electronic means and may accompany a regular billing statement, at the discretion of the authority; (iii) A municipal utility system that on June 3, 2019, utilizes a program authorized by subdivision (a)(12)(A) and operates the program on an opt-out basis that fails to send the notice required by this subdivision (a)(12)(C) shall, on and after January 1, 2021, cease operating the program on an opt-out basis and shall not operate a program unless operated in compliance with subdivision (a)(12)(B); and (iv) For purposes of this subdivision (a)(12), "opt-out basis" means automatically enrolling customers in a program and requiring notice from the customer of a desire to be removed from the program in order to cease participation in the program; and (D) Any authority that utilizes a program authorized by subdivision (a)(12)(A) and that maintains a website that is accessible by the general public shall publish in a conspicuous location on the website by November 1, 2020, and throughout the duration of the authority's utilization of the program, the following information: (i) A statement that the authority utilizes a program authorized by subdivision (a)(12)(A) and a description of the program; (ii) Notification that a customer whose bill is currently rounded up by the authority has the right to opt out of participation in the program; and (iii) Contact information for the utility and instructions on how the customer may contact the utility to opt into or out of participation in the program; (13) To condemn either the fee or such right, title, interest, or easement in property as the board may deem necessary for any of the purposes mentioned in this chapter, and such property or interest in such property may be so acquired whether or not the same is owned or held for public use by corporations, associations, or persons having the power of eminent domain, or otherwise held or used for public purposes, and such power of condemnation may be exercised in the method of procedure prescribed by title 29, chapter 16, or in the method of procedure prescribed by any other applicable statutory provisions for the exercise of the power of eminent domain; provided, however, that where title to any property sought to be condemned is defective, it shall be passed by decree of court. Where condemnation proceedings become necessary, the court in which such proceedings are filed shall, upon application by the authority and upon the posting of a bond with the clerk of the court in such amount as the court may deem commensurate with the value of the property, order that the right of possession shall issue immediately or as soon and upon such terms as the court, in its discretion, may deem proper and just; (14) To make and execute any contract and instrument necessary or convenient for the full exercise of the powers granted in this section, and in connection therewith to stipulate and agree to such covenants, terms, and conditions, and such term or duration as shall be appropriate, including, without limitation, contracts for the purchase or sale of any of the commodities or services authorized in this section to be provided by the authority, and carry out and perform the covenants, terms, and conditions of such contracts and instruments. In connection with any contract to acquire or sell any of the commodities or services authorized in this section, the authority may enter into commodity price exchange or swap agreements, agreements establishing price floors or ceilings, or both, or other price hedging contracts with any person or entity under such terms and conditions as the authority may determine, including, without limitation, provisions permitting the authority to indemnify or otherwise pay any person or entity for any loss of benefits under such agreement upon early termination thereof or default thereunder. When entering into any such contract or arrangement or any such swap, exchange, or hedging agreement evidencing a transaction bearing a reasonable relationship to this state and also to another state or nation, the authority may agree in the written contract or agreement that the rights and remedies of the parties thereto shall be governed by the laws of this state or the laws of such other state or nation; provided, that jurisdiction over the authority shall lie solely in the courts sitting in the county where the authority's principal office is located. Nothing in the selection of laws of another state or nation shall alter, impair, or modify the rights, privileges, and obligations of the authority as a governmental entity under this chapter and under the laws of this state; (15) To sell, exchange, or interchange any of the commodities or services authorized to be provided in this section either within or outside this state and to establish prices to be paid for such commodities or services, and establish pricing structures with respect thereto, including provision for price rebates, discounts, and dividends; and, in connection with any such sales, exchanges, or interchanges, to act as agent for such consumers, to secure contracts and arrangements with other entities or persons, to make contracts for the sale, exchange, interchange, pooling, transmission, storage, or distribution of any of the commodities or services authorized to be provided in this section, inside or outside this state, and to transmit, transport, and distribute any such commodities or services both for itself and on behalf of others; (16) To make contracts and execute instruments containing such covenants, terms, and conditions as may be necessary, proper, or advisable for the purpose of obtaining loans from any source, or grants, loans, or other financial assistance from the state or any federal agency, and to carry out and perform the covenants and terms and conditions of all such contracts and instruments; (17) To 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 system and the furnishing of any of the services authorized to be provided in this section; (18) To use any right-of-way, easement, or other similar property right necessary or convenient in connection with the acquisition, improvement, operation, or maintenance of one (1) or more systems, held by this state, the associated municipality, or any other municipality; provided, that such other municipality shall consent to such use; (19) To provide to any municipality, person, federal agency, this state, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, transmission, storage, or transportation capacity for any of the commodities or services authorized in this section, and management and purchasing services associated therewith; (20) To employ, engage, retain, and pay compensation to such officers, agents, consultants, professionals, and employees of the authority as shall be necessary to operate the systems, manage the affairs of the authority, and otherwise further the purposes of the authority and the exercise of the powers thereof, and to fix their compensation and to establish a program of employee benefits, including a retirement system; (21) To establish a retirement system for all employees of the authority and to maintain all rights and benefits of employees as they existed under the retirement system of the municipal electric system without diminution; (22) To enter into joint ventures and cooperative arrangements with one (1) or more persons, including the formation of a partnership, limited liability company, or not-for-profit corporation to accomplish any of the purposes set forth in this section or to exercise any of the powers set forth in this section; (23) Upon proper action by the associated municipality, to commence operating the systems and to exercise exclusive control and direction of the systems and, upon proper action by the associated municipality, to accept title to the assets and assume the liabilities of the systems, and upon such action to hold all the rights as existed with the municipal electric system without diminution; (24) To do business under one (1) or more assumed corporate names pursuant to § 7-36-105(d) ; (25) To manage and operate utility systems owned by other persons. Such management or operating agreements shall be consistent with subdivision (a)(3), as applicable; (26) To enter into mutual aid agreements with other utility systems and other persons; (27) To assist persons to whom the authority sells electric power, energy, water, wastewater, or telecommunications in installing fixtures, appliances, apparatus, and equipment of all kinds and character and, in connection therewith, to purchase, acquire, lease, sell, distribute, make loans, provide service contracts, and repair such fixtures, appliances, apparatus, and equipment and sell, assign, transfer, endorse, pledge, and otherwise dispose of notes or other evidences of indebtedness any and all types of security therefor; (28) To have such powers as are now or hereafter authorized for municipal electric, water, and wastewater utilities within this state; and (29) To do any act authorized in this section or necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly given in this chapter under, through, or by means of its own officers, agents, and employees, or by contracts with any person, federal agency, or municipality. (b) The authority's water and wastewater systems shall have all the powers, authority, duties, obligations, requirements, and oversight that are conferred and imposed upon municipalities and a municipality's water and wastewater system in title 68, chapter 221. All actions authorized and required by title 68, chapter 221 to be taken by the board or supervisory body having responsibility for a municipality's water or wastewater system shall be authorized to be taken by the board of directors of the authority, and all powers, authority, duties, obligations, requirements, and oversight granted to and required of a municipality's water and wastewater system under title 68, chapter 221 shall be exercised by the water and wastewater divisions of the authority.

Legislative History

Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 508,s 2, eff. 6/3/2019. Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 446,Secs.s5, s6, s7, s8, s9, s10, s11 eff. 5/25/2017. Added by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 995,s 1, eff. 4/27/2016.