35-18-107. Foreign corporations. (1) Any corporation organized under the laws of a state adjacent to this state on a nonprofit or a cooperative basis for the purpose of supplying electrical energy in rural areas and owning and operating electric transmission or distribution lines in that state is permitted to extend its lines into and transact business in this state without complying with any statute of this state pertaining to the qualification of foreign corporations for the transaction of business in this state.

(2) The foreign corporation, as a prerequisite to the extension of its lines into and the transaction of business in this state, shall, by an instrument executed and acknowledged in its behalf by its president or vice president under its corporate seal attested by its secretary, designate the secretary of state its agent to accept service of process in its behalf. In the event that any process is served upon the secretary of state, the secretary of state shall as soon as possible forward the process by certified mail to the corporation at the address of the corporation specified in the instrument.

(3) The corporation may sue and be sued in the courts of this state to the same extent that a cooperative may sue or be sued in the courts.

(4) The corporation may secure its notes, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness by mortgage, pledge, deed of trust, or other encumbrance upon any or all of its then-owned or after-acquired real or personal property, assets, or franchises located or to be located in this state and also upon the revenue and income to be derived from them.