70-646.01.

District property; alienation to private power producers prohibited; exceptions.

Except as provided in sections 18-412.07 to 18-412.09, 70-628.02 to 70-628.04, or 70-644 to 70-653.02, the plant, property, or equipment of a public power district shall never, by sale under foreclosure, receivership, bankruptcy proceedings, outright sale, or lease, become the property or come under the control of any private person, firm, or corporation engaged in the business of generating, transmitting, or distributing electricity for profit. This restriction does not apply to: (1) The exercise by a district of its rights and powers with respect to radioactive material or the energy therefrom; (2) the sales of ethanol production or distribution facilities; (3) the sales of hydrogen production, storage, or distribution facilities; (4) joint participation in any electric generation or transmission facility pursuant to sections 18-412.07 to 18-412.09 and 70-628.02 to 70-628.04; or (5) a nonprofit cooperative corporation that has provided financing for property, projects, or undertakings when such property is covered by a mortgage, pledge of revenue, or other hypothecation to secure the payment of a loan or loans made to a district. This restriction does not apply to a sale, transfer, or lease of property to a nonprofit electric cooperative corporation engaged in the retail distribution of electric energy in established service areas, which cooperative corporation is organized under the laws of the State of Nebraska or domesticated in the State of Nebraska, except that such property so acquired by a cooperative nonprofit corporation organized to provide financing or by a nonprofit electric cooperative corporation shall never become the property or come under the control of any person, firm, or corporation engaged in the business of generating, transmitting, or distributing electricity for profit. This section shall not be construed as an expansion of the authority of public power districts to engage in telecommunications services as may otherwise be authorized by statute.