The board shall, prior to October 1, 1981, designate the representative organization responsible for the preparation and filing of those reports required pursuant to sections 70-1025 and 70-1026. The board may utilize a preexisting representative group from the industry if such group is willing to perform the task in the prescribed time and manner. The board shall prepare and publish the long-range power supply plan itself, if the board determines that no representative group is willing to complete such a study or that the product of any group so assembled has substantial deficiencies or cannot be completed by the prescribed date. The board shall have the power and duty to levy a special assessment in the manner described in section 70-1020 to defray the costs of such power supply plans, if the board must produce such power supply plan by itself or with consultants.