Chap. 124.—An ACT to amend an act entitled “An act to provide a new charter
for the City of Portsmouth.”, approved March 10, 1908, as amended, by adding
a new section numbered 23-c, to authorize the City of Portsmouth to establish,
acquire and operate electric lighting and power plants, gas works and systems,
and motor bus and other transportation systems, and to issue bonds for that
purpose. fH B 140]

Approved March 7, 1946

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That an act entitled “An act to provide a new charter for the
City of Portsmouth.”, approved March ten, nineteen hundred eight, as
amended, be amended by adding a new section numbered twenty-three-c,
as follows:

Section 23-c. (a) The council of the City of Portsmouth, in addi-
tion to other powers conferred by law, shall have the power: (1) to es-
tablish, acquire, enlarge, maintain, and operate electric lighting and pow-
er plants and systems, gas works and systems, motor bus and other trans-
portation systems, either within or partly within and partly without, the
limits of the city; (2) to furnish electric current, transportation and gas
to consumers for domestic or commercial purposes, and charge and col-
lect compensation therefor; (3) to acquire by purchase, lease, condem-
nation or otherwise, land, rights of way and easements for the purpose of
establishing, extending, maintaining and repairing such plants, systems
or works, wires, poles, conduits, motor vehicles, pipes or other fixtures
or appurtenances thereto; (4) to acquire by purchase or lease, in whole
or in part, the lighting and power plants or systems, gas works or sys-
tems, motor bus or other transportation systems, and other property and
appurtenances of any person or corporation operating within the city, or
in the territory contiguous thereto; and, (5) to contract with any person,
firm or corporation for the purpose of furnishing or selling electric cur-
rent, gas, and transportation to consumers and users thereof. The
council shall have the power to protect from injury by adequate penal-
ties the plants, systems, buses, wires, poles, conduits, pipes and other
property connected therewith, within the limits of the city.

(b) The council shall have power and authority, in accordance
with section one hundred twenty-seven (b) of the Constitution of Vir-
ginia, to borrow money, incur indebtedness and issue bonds in such
amount as may be necessary to acquire, maintain or establish such elec-
tric lighting and power systems, gas works and systemis, transportation
systems, or any or either of them, or other specific undertaking from
which the city may derive a revenue.