(a)

(1) Except for persons exempted as provided in subsection (c) of this section and § 23-18-504(a) and § 23-18-508, a person shall not begin construction of a major utility facility in the state without first obtaining a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need for the major utility facility from the Arkansas Public Service Commission.

(2) The replacement or expansion of an existing transmission facility with a similar facility in substantially the same location or the rebuilding, upgrading, modernizing, or reconstruction for the purposes of increasing capacity shall not constitute construction of a major utility facility if no increase in width of right-of-way is required.

(b) An entity, including without limitation a person, public utility, utility, regional transmission organization, municipality, merchant transmission provider, merchant generator, or other entity, whether regulated or not by the commission, shall not begin construction of an electric transmission line and associated facilities, as described in § 23-18-503(6)(B), within a national interest electric transmission corridor without first obtaining a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need for the facility from the commission.

(c) This subchapter does not require a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need or an amendment of such a certificate for:

(1) Reconstruction, alteration, or relocation of a major utility facility that must be reconstructed, altered, or relocated because of the requirements of a federal, state, or county governmental body or agency for purposes of highway transportation, public safety, or air and water quality; or

(2) An electric transmission line and associated facilities including substations of a design voltage of one hundred kilovolts (100 kV) or more to be constructed or operated by a municipal electric utility system that is located within the territorial limits of the municipal electric utility system.

(d) An entity granted a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall have the right of eminent domain as provided by Arkansas law for the limited purpose of constructing the certificated electric transmission line and associated facilities, as described in § 23-18-503(6)(B), to the extent that the facility is located within a national interest electric transmission corridor.