For the purpose of making preliminary examinations and surveys, any company transmitting or distributing electricity in the state for public or private use may enter upon any land held by any individual or corporation, whether acquired by purchase, appropriation proceedings, or otherwise, unless such land is owned by and essential to the purposes of another corporation possessing the power of eminent domain. The company also may appropriate so much of such land, or any right or interest in the land, including any trees, edifices, or buildings on the land, as is deemed necessary for either of the following purposes:
(A) The erection, operation, or maintenance of an electric plant, including its substations, switching stations, transmission and distribution lines, poles, towers, piers, conduits, cables, and wires and other necessary structures and appliances, but excluding its generating stations;
(B) Rights-of-way over such land and adjacent lands for the purpose of access to any part of such land. The right of appropriation shall be exercised in the same manner provided by sections 163.01 to 163.22 of the Revised Code.
Effective Date: 10-05-1999 .