(a) General rule.--Upon the application of any public utility and the approval of such application by the commission, evidenced by its certificate of public convenience first had and obtained, and upon compliance with existing laws, it shall be lawful:

(1) For any public utility to begin to offer, render, furnish or supply within this Commonwealth service of a different nature or to a different territory than that authorized by:

(i) A certificate of public convenience granted under this part or under the former provisions of the act of July 26, 1913 (P.L.1374, No.854), known as "The Public Service Company Law," or the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.1053, No.286), known as the "Public Utility Law."

(ii) An unregistered right, power or privilege preserved by section 103 (relating to prior rights preserved).

(2) For any public utility to abandon or surrender, in whole or in part, any service, except that this provision is not applicable to discontinuance of service to a patron for nonpayment of a bill, or upon request of a patron.

(3) For any public utility or an affiliated interest of a public utility as defined in section 2101 (relating to definition of affiliated interest), except a common carrier by railroad subject to the Interstate Commerce Act, to acquire from, or to transfer to, any person or corporation, including a municipal corporation, by any method or device whatsoever, including the sale or transfer of stock and including a consolidation, merger, sale or lease, the title to, or the possession or use of, any tangible or intangible property used or useful in the public service. Such approval shall not be required if:

(i) the undepreciated book value of the property to be acquired or transferred does not exceed $1,000;

(ii) the undepreciated book value of the property to be acquired or transferred does not exceed the lesser of:

(A) 2% of the undepreciated book value of all fixed assets of such public utility; or

(B) $5,000 in the case of personalty or $50,000 in the case of realty;

(iii) the property to be acquired is to be installed new as a part of or consumed in the operation of the used and useful property of such public utility; or

(iv) the property to be transferred by such public utility is obsolete, worn out or otherwise unserviceable.

Subparagraphs (i) through (iv) shall not be applicable, and approval of the commission evidenced by a certificate of public convenience shall be required, if any such acquisition or transfer of property involves a transfer of patrons.

(4) For any public utility to acquire 5% or more of the voting capital stock of any corporation.

(5) For any municipal corporation to acquire, construct, or begin to operate, any plant, equipment, or other facilities for the rendering or furnishing to the public of any public utility service beyond its corporate limits.

(b) Protection of railroad employees.--As a condition of its approval of any transaction covered by this section and involving those railroad carriers wholly located within this Commonwealth subject to the provisions of this part, the commission shall require a fair and equitable arrangement to protect the interests of the railroad employees affected and the commission shall include in its order of approval the terms and conditions it deems fair and equitable for the protection of the employees. The terms and conditions which the commission prescribes shall provide that, during the period of four years from the effective date of the order, the employees of the railroad carrier affected by the order shall not be in a worse position with respect to their employment except that any protection afforded an employee shall not be required to continue for a period longer than that during which the employee was in the employ of the railroad carrier prior to the effective date of the order. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the commission may accept as fair and equitable an agreement pertaining to the protection of the interests of the employees entered into by the railroad carrier and the duly authorized representatives of the employees.

Cross References. Section 1102 is referred to in sections 1329, 1901, 3019 of this title.