Article 7. Financing Provisions of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 5. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 7.

The Legislature finds and declares that financing the acquisition of privately owned facilities of an electrical or gas corporation by a municipal corporation not previously engaged in furnishing electricity or gas to customers on a regular and ongoing basis or by a redevelopment agency should be subject to the investigation and safeguards provided by this article in the public interest. The Legislature further finds and declares that the purpose of this article is to ensure that the power to acquire and operate these facilities is exercised in the wisest manner consistent with its grant and in the public interest.

As used in this article:
  (a) "Electrical corporation" means an electrical corporation as defined in Section 218.
  (b) "Gas corporation" means a gas corporation as defined in Section 222.
  (c) "Redevelopment agency" means a redevelopment agency as defined in Section 34102 of the Health and Safety Code.

The use of certificates of participation by a municipal corporation not previously engaged in furnishing electricity or gas to customers on a regular and ongoing basis, or the use of any evidence of indebtedness, including, but not limited to, certificates of participation, by a redevelopment agency, for the acquisition of all, or any portion, of the facilities of an electrical or gas corporation for the purpose of furnishing electricity or gas to customers is subject to an election held pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 54380) of Chapter 6 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code, except that, in the case of any acquisition by a redevelopment agency, the term "qualified voters," as used in Section 54380 of the Government Code, means those persons who would be served by the facilities proposed to be acquired.