Whenever a decree of public use and necessity heretofore has been or hereafter shall be entered in condemnation proceedings conducted by a public utility district for the acquisition of electrical distribution properties, or whenever it has executed a contract for the purchase of such properties, the district may cause to be filed with the utilities and transportation commission a copy of such contract or a certified copy of the decree, together with a petition requesting that the commission cause a rate to be filed with it for the sale of wholesale power to the district. Thereupon the utilities and transportation commission shall order that a rate be filed with the commission forthwith for the sale of wholesale power to such district. The term "wholesale power" means electric energy sold for purposes of resale. The commission shall have authority to enter such order as to any public service corporation which owns or operates the electrical distribution properties being condemned or purchased or as to any such corporation which owns or operates transmission facilities within a reasonable distance of such distribution properties and which engages in the business of selling wholesale power, pursuant to contract or otherwise. The rate filed shall be for the period of service specified by the district, or if the district does not specify a particular period, such rate shall apply from the commencement of service until the district terminates same by thirty days' written notice.

Upon reasonable notice, any such public service corporation shall furnish wholesale power to any public utility district owning or operating electrical distribution properties. Whenever a public service corporation shall furnish wholesale power to a district and the charge or rate therefor is reviewed by the commission, such reasonable rate as the commission finally may fix shall apply as to power thereafter furnished and as to that previously furnished under such charge or rate from the time that the complaint concerning the same shall have been filed by the commission or the district, as the case may be.

Purpose—1945 c 130: "The legislature has found that the public utility districts of this state, including several which at the present moment are completing the acquisition of electrical properties and the sale of revenue bonds, have immediate need for this act, in order to effectuate timely arrangements for their wholesale power requirements, clarify their condemnation procedure, and plan their operations." [ 1945 c 130 s 1.]

Severability—1945 c 130: "If any section or provision of this act shall be adjudged to be invalid, such adjudication shall not affect the validity of the act as a whole or any section, provision or part thereof not adjudged to be invalid." [ 1945 c 130 s 5.]