§ 117-31. Power of Rural Electrification Authority to prosecute requested investigations.
§ 117‑31. Power ofRural Electrification Authority to prosecute requested investigations.
In investigating the application filed with the Rural ElectrificationAuthority under the provisions of G.S. 117‑30 of this Article, the RuralElectrification Authority shall have the authority to employ such personnel asshall be necessary to conduct surveys; to contact the telephone companiesserving the general area for the purpose of arranging for extension oftelephone service by such companies to such community or communities; to makeestimates of the cost of the extension of telephone service to such communityor communities; to call upon the Utilities Commission of the State to fix suchrates as will be applicable to such service; to secure for such community orcommunities any assistance which may be available from the federal governmentby gift or loan or in any other manner; to investigate all applications for thecreation of telephone membership corporations and determine and pass upon thequestion of granting authority to form such corporation; to provide forms formaking such applications, and to do all things necessary to a properdetermination of the question of the establishment of such telephone membershipcorporations in keeping with the provisions of this Article; to act as agentfor any such telephone membership corporation in securing loans or grants fromany agency of the United States government; to prescribe rules and regulationsand the necessary blanks for such membership corporations in making applicationsfor grants or loans from any agency of the United States government; to do allother acts and things which may be necessary to aid the rural communities inNorth Carolina in securing telephone service. (1945, c. 853, s. 3.)