66 Pa. C.S. § 1104 : Consolidated Statutes — PUBLIC UTILITIES — PUBLIC UTILITY CODE — REGULATION OF PUBLIC UTILITIES GENERALLY — CERTIFICATES OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE — GENERAL PROVISIONS — Certain appropriations by right of eminent domain prohibited

Unless its power of eminent domain existed under prior law, no domestic public utility or foreign public utility authorized to do business in this Commonwealth shall exercise any power of eminent domain within this Commonwealth until it shall have received the certificate of public convenience required by section 1101 (relating to organization of public utilities and beginning of service).