Rhode Island § 39-3-24 - Regulatory Powers of Administration

§ 39-3-24. Transactions between utilities for which approval required.

With the consent and approval of the division, but not otherwise:

(1) Any two (2) or more public utilities doing business in the same municipality or locality within this state, or any two (2) or more public utilities whose lines intersect or parallel each other within this state, or furnish a like service or product within this state, may enter into contracts with each other that will enable the public utilities to operate their lines or plants in connection with each other.

(2) Any public utility may purchase or lease all or any part of the property, assets, plant, and business of any other public utility or merge with any other public utility, and in connection therewith may exercise and enjoy all of the rights, powers, easements, privileges, and franchises theretofore exercised and enjoyed by any other public utility with respect to the property, assets, plant, and business so purchased, leased, or merged.

(3) Any public utility may merge with any other public utility or sell or lease all or any part of its property, assets, plant, and business to any other public utility, provided that the merger or a sale or lease of all or substantially all of its property, assets, plant, and business shall be authorized by a vote of at least two-thirds (⅔) in interest of its stockholders at a meeting duly called for the purpose. Any stockholder who shall not have voted in favor of the merger, sale, or lease, either in person or by proxy, shall be entitled to the rights, and the corporation shall be subject to the duties, obligations, and liabilities set forth in §§ 7-1.2-1201 and 7-1.2-1202 with respect to dissenting stockholders and to corporations that sell, lease, or exchange their entire assets respectively.

(4) Any public utility may directly or indirectly purchase the stock of any other public utility.