In addition to the general powers under RCW 35.97.030, and not by way of limitation, municipalities have the
following specific powers:
(1) The usual powers of a corporation, to be exercised for
public purposes;
(2) To acquire by purchase, gift, or condemnation property
or interests in property within and without the municipality,
necessary for the construction and operation of heating systems,
including additions and extensions of heating systems. No
municipality may acquire any heat source by condemnation. To the
extent judged economically feasible by the municipality, public
property and rights-of-way shall be utilized in lieu of private
property acquired by condemnation. The municipality shall
determine in cooperation with existing users that addition of
district heating facilities to any public property or
rights-of-way shall not be a hazard or interference with existing
uses or, if so, that the cost for any relocation of facilities of
existing users shall be a cost and expense of installing the
heating facility;
(3) To acquire, install, add to, maintain, and operate
heating facilities at a heat source or to serve particular
consumers of heat, whether such facilities are located on
property owned by the municipality, by the consumer of heat, or
otherwise;
(4) To sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of heating
facilities;
(5) To contract for the operation of heating facilities;
(6) To apply and qualify for and receive any private or
federal grants, loans, or other funds available for carrying out
the objects of the municipality under this chapter;
(7) Full and exclusive authority to sell and regulate and
control the use, distribution, rates, service, charges, and price
of all heat supplied by the municipality and to carry out any
other powers and duties under this chapter free from the
jurisdiction and control of the utilities and transportation
commission;
(8) To utilize fuels other than the heat sources described
in RCW 35.97.020 on a standby basis, to meet start up and
emergency requirements, to meet peak demands, or to supplement
those heat sources as necessary to provide a reliable and
economically feasible supply of heat;
(9) To the extent permitted by the state Constitution, to
make loans for the purpose of enabling suppliers or consumers of
heat to finance heating facilities;
(10) To enter into cooperative agreements providing for the
acquisition, construction, ownership, financing, use, control,
and regulation of heating systems and heating facilities by more
than one municipality or by one or more municipalities on behalf
of other municipalities.
[1983 c 216 § 4.]