Subject to the same duties and liabilities, all the rights, powers, and privileges conferred upon telegraph and telephone companies to acquire rights-of-way for the construction, maintenance, and operation of lines under §§ 58-9-2020 to 58-9-2030 are granted unto electric lighting and power companies incorporated under the laws of this State, or to those companies incorporated under the laws of any other state which have complied with the laws of this State regulating foreign corporations doing business in this State, and to state authorities and electric cooperatives, and the right is also granted to those companies and authorities and electric cooperatives to acquire fee simple title or an easement in land by a condemnation action, for the construction of electric generating plants, substations, switching stations, and impounding of waters to be used in conjunction with electric generating plants. No property or rights used for the generation or transmission of electricity, or devoted to public use for such purposes, shall be condemned hereunder.