131E-24. Eminent domain.

(a) A hospital authority may acquire by eminent domain any real property, including fixtures and improvements, which it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this Part. The hospital authority may exercise the power of eminent domain under the provisions of Chapter 40A of the General Statutes or any other statute now in force or subsequently enacted for the exercise of the power of eminent domain.

(b) No property belonging to any city, town, or county, any government, religious or charitable organization, or to any existing hospital or clinic may be acquired without its consent. No property belonging to a public utility corporation may be acquired without the approval of the commission or other officer or agency, if any, having regulatory power over the corporation.

(c) The right of eminent domain shall not be exercised unless and until a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the facility has been issued by the North Carolina Utilities Commission. The proceedings leading up to issuing of the certificate of public convenience and necessity, and the right of appeal from the proceedings shall be governed by the Public Utilities Act, Chapter 62 of the General Statutes, and the rights under that act are hereby expressly reserved to all interested parties in the proceedings. In addition to the powers now granted by law to the North Carolina Utilities Commission, the Utilities Commission is authorized to investigate and examine all facilities set up or attempted to be set up under this Part and to determine the question of public convenience and necessity for the facility.