478.13 - EXTENSION OF FRANCHISE -- PUBLIC NOTICE.

        478.13  EXTENSION OF FRANCHISE -- PUBLIC NOTICE.         1.  Any person, firm, or corporation owning a franchise granted      under this chapter or previously existing law may petition the      utilities board for an extension of the franchise.  The board shall      adopt rules governing extension applications and proceedings with the      intent that the extension applications and proceedings are less      extensive than original applications and proceedings.  Assessment of      costs shall be as provided in section 478.4.         2.  If the extension of franchise is sought for all lines in a      given county or counties, the published notice need not contain a      general description of the lands and highways traversed by the lines,      but in lieu of containing such description the petitioner may offer      to provide to any interested party, free of charge and within ten      working days, a current, accurate map showing the location of the      lines for which the franchise extension is sought.  The public notice      shall advise the citizens of the county or counties affected of the      availability of such map.  If this alternate procedure is not      followed, the publication of the description of the lands and      highways traversed by the lines shall be done in the manner as in an      original application for franchise.         3.  An extension under this section shall be granted only for a      valid, existing franchise, and the lands, roads, or streams covered      by the franchise over, through, or upon which electric transmission      lines have in fact been erected or constructed and are in use or      operation at the time of the application for the extension of the      franchise.         4.  The application for the extension of the franchise shall be      accompanied by the written consent of the applicant that the      provisions of all laws relating to public utilities, franchises, and      transmission lines, or to the regulation, supervision, or control      thereof which are then in force or which may be thereafter enacted,      shall apply to its existing line or lines, franchises, and rights as      if the franchise had been granted, the lines had been constructed, or      rights had been obtained under the provisions of this chapter.         5.  An extension of a franchise is not required for an electric      transmission line that has been permanently retired from operation at      sixty-nine kilovolts or more but that remains in service at a lower      voltage.  The board shall be notified of changes in operating status.      
         Section History: Early Form
         [S13, § 2120-o; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 8320; C46, 50, 54, 58,      62, § 489.12; C66, 71, 73, 75, § 489.13; C77, 79, 81, § 478.13] 
         Section History: Recent Form
         94 Acts, ch 1136, §4; 97 Acts, ch 63, §1; 2002 Acts, ch 1048, §4,      5; 2002 Acts, ch 1097, §1