Article 3. General Authorization of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 6. >> Chapter 6.5. >> Article 3.

A district may borrow money from time to time for the purpose of constructing, reconstructing, replacing, extending or improving its system for supplying the district and its inhabitants with electric energy, and may issue and sell bonds to evidence the indebtedness created by such borrowing. No such money may be used:
  (1) For constructing or improving works located outside the district boundaries which exist on the date this Chapter 6.5 is enacted.
  (2) For acquiring any property owned by a public utility.
  (3) For constructing or improving works for generating electricity.
  (4) For constructing or improving works used, or to be used, in whole or in part either for the receipt, transmission and delivery of electric energy for any supplier of electric power or for the exchange of electric power with any person or entity. This provision shall not prevent the district from using such money for the purposes set forth in the initial sentence of this section. Such bonds shall not be issued for a term in excess of 20 years after the date of such bonds; provided, that this sentence shall not limit the power of a district to refund such bonds.

A district may also refund from time to time, whether at or prior to maturity, any outstanding indebtedness evidenced by its bonds, and may issue, and sell or exchange, bonds so to refund such indebtedness. Refunding bonds which are to be sold may be issued and sold at such time in advance of the time at which the bonds to be redeemed or paid out of the proceeds of such refunding bonds are to be so redeemed or paid as the board may determine.

Whenever a district exercises the power to borrow money pursuant to this chapter the board may authorize the issuance of bonds in any amount which, when added to the aggregate amount of bonds of the district issued under this chapter and outstanding at the time of the acceptance of a proposal for the purchase of the bonds so authorized and payable out of the revenues out of which the bonds so authorized are to be payable shall not exceed the amount of the earned surplus derived from the operation of the electric system to which those revenues pertain, as of the end of the last fiscal year which ended not less than four months prior to the making of the finding and determination provided for in Section 13161. The aggregate amount of bonds issued under this chapter shall not exceed in face value the sum of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) in any one calendar year. The term "earned surplus" whenever used in this chapter means the excess of revenues from the inception of operation of the electric system over related expenses thereof, plus accumulated price-level depreciation, plus or minus any additional amounts credited to or charged against customers' equity employed in the business of the electric system, as determined in accordance with the then current accounting practice of the district. The term "accumulated price-level depreciation" as used in this section means the accumulated additional amounts by which depreciation based on the cost of depreciable property adjusted to reflect current price levels exceeds depreciation computed on cost.

The limitations prescribed in Section 13093 shall not be applicable to the issuance of any refunding bonds pursuant to this chapter, and the amount of any issue of such refunding bonds may equal, but shall not exceed, the amount required for the payment or redemption of the bonds to be refunded thereby, including the premiums, if any, due upon such redemption, but excluding any interest due upon such redemption.

Any bond for the payment and discharge of which, upon maturity or upon redemption prior to maturity, provision has been made through the setting apart in a reserve fund or special trust account created pursuant to this chapter to insure the payment thereof, of moneys sufficient for that purpose, or through the irrevocable segregation for that purpose, in some sinking fund or other fund or trust account, of moneys sufficient therefor, shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding within the meaning of any provision of this chapter.

The board shall have power to determine all the terms and conditions of the issuance and sale of bonds pursuant to this chapter, excepting only as such power is limited by express provisions of this chapter.