Sec. 10. (a) Any municipality which is a member of a joint agency may contract to purchase power and energy and related services from the joint agency derived from any project or projects or without designation as to source and pursuant to which contracts such municipality shall agree to make payments to the joint agency from the revenues of its electric system adequate:

(1) to pay when due (whether at maturity, upon acceleration, or by sinking fund requirements) the principal, premium, if any, and interest on all bonds issued by the joint agency to finance any service provided to such member municipality, and to establish reserves therefor; and

(2) to pay the necessary expenses of the joint agency (including, without limitation, all amounts required to be collected pursuant to the trust agreement or resolution providing for the issuance of bonds) and to establish reserves therefor.

Since the creation of a joint agency is an alternative method whereby a municipality may obtain the benefits of a joint project or projects, any contract may provide: (A) that the contracting municipality shall be obligated to make the payments required by the contract whether or not a project is completed, operable or operating and notwithstanding the suspension, interruption, interference, reduction or curtailment of the output of a project or the power and energy contracted for; and (B) that the payments under the contract may not be subject to any reduction whether by offset or otherwise, and may not be conditioned upon the performance or nonperformance of the joint agency or any other member of the joint agency under the contract or any other instrument. Any contract may also provide that if one (1) or more of the municipalities should default in the performance or discharge of its obligations under its contract, the other contracting municipalities shall assume, pro rata, or otherwise, the obligations of the defaulting municipality or municipalities and may succeed to the rights and interests of the defaulting municipality or municipalities as may be agreed upon in the contract. Any such contract may also provide for requirements, purchases, or exclusive dealing arrangements if the joint agency determines that such provisions are necessary to obtain financing on favorable terms.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, a contract with respect to the sale or purchase of power and energy, transmission and related services, from a joint agency may extend for an initial period not exceeding fifty (50) years from the date service is estimated to be first rendered under the contract, with additional periods as may be agreed upon by the parties, and the execution and effectiveness of the contract may not be subject to any authorizations or approvals by the state or any agency, commission or instrumentality or political subdivision thereof except as specifically required and provided in this chapter, nor shall it be subject to any publication requirements.

(c) Payments by a municipality under any contract with a joint agency shall be payable solely from the revenues derived from the ownership and operation of the electric system of that municipality and may be treated as an expense of the operation and maintenance thereof if the contract so provides, and any obligation under that contract may not constitute a legal or equitable pledge, charge, lien, or encumbrance upon any property of the municipality or upon any of its income, receipts, or revenues, except the revenues of its electric system, and neither the faith and credit nor the taxing power of the municipality are, or may be, pledged for the payment of any obligation under any such contract. A municipality shall be obligated to fix, charge, and collect rents, rates, fees, and charges for electric power and energy and other services, facilities, and commodities, sold, furnished, or supplied through its electric system in an amount sufficient to provide revenues adequate to meet its obligations under any such contract and to pay any and all other amounts payable from or constituting a charge and lien upon such revenues. In any proceeding before the commission for the approval of rates set by a municipality subject to its jurisdiction, the commission shall make specific findings of the revenue requirements referred to in the prior sentence and shall provide rates sufficient for such requirements.

(d) Any member of a joint agency may furnish the joint agency with money derived solely from the ownership and operation of its electric system or facilities and provide the joint agency with personnel, equipment, and property, both real and personal. Any municipality may also provide any services to a joint agency.

(e) A joint agency or any member of a joint agency may contract for, advance, or contribute funds derived solely from the ownership and operation of its electric system or facilities to a joint agency or any member of a joint agency as may be agreed upon by the joint agency and the member. A:

(1) joint agency shall repay such advances or contributions from proceeds of bonds, or from any other funds of the joint agency; and

(2) member of a joint agency shall repay such advances or contributions from funds derived solely from the ownership and operation of its electric system or facilities;

together with interest thereon as may be agreed upon by the member and the joint agency.

(f) In the exercise of the powers enumerated in this chapter, including without limitation, the execution of contracts as provided in this section, a municipality and a joint agency shall be deemed to be exercising a part of the sovereign powers of the state and shall be exempt from any and all laws, rules, and regulations prohibiting, limiting, or conditioning anticompetitive conduct.

As added by Acts 1980, P.L.68, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.36-2017, SEC.4.