Article 3. Electric Power of California Water Code >> Division 11. >> Part 5. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 3.

Any district heretofore or hereafter formed may purchase or lease electric power from any agency or entity, public or private, and may provide for the acquisition, operation, leasing, and control of plants for the generation, transmission, distribution, sale, and lease of electric power, including sale to municipalities, public utility districts, or persons.

All provisions of the California Irrigation District Act, and of all acts amendatory thereof and supplemental thereto, applying to irrigation shall, as codified in this division, also be so construed and enforced as to apply to electric power.

The officers, agents, and employees of districts have the same powers, duties, and liabilities respecting electric power and the acquisition, operation, and control relating to it as they have respecting irrigation or districts.

The board and the officers, agents, and employees of districts shall do all necessary and proper acts for the construction and operation of its electric power works.

A district may distribute power without regard to any assessments levied by it.

A district may sell, dispose of, and distribute electric power for use outside of its boundaries.

Subject to the conditions in this article a district may in the manner required by law make special appropriations of water for power purposes.

Any use of water for generating electric power at any given time of the year which is in excess of the water appropriated and beneficially used for irrigation purposes by the district at that period of the year shall be subject to all prior existing appropriations by any municipal corporation which is proceeding in good faith in the expenditure of money and the construction of works designed to divert the water appropriated.

Any district providing electric power to areas outside its boundaries shall be subject to reasonable rules, regulations, and orders of the governing body of the city or county area being served, but, in no event, more restrictive than the rules, regulations, and orders of the Public Utilities Commission upon utilities providing electric power to cities or counties. No district may impose rates, rules, regulations, or orders in any such area outside its boundaries which are different from rates, rules, regulations, or orders imposed within the district, except with the consent of the governing body of the affected area.

Every district furnishing electrical power shall comply with Section 8029.5 of the Public Utilities Code.