(a) The Commission's regulatory authority over DP&L and DEC shall not be affected by a subsequent change in stock ownership of either utility. In approving any proposed merger, mortgage, transfer, issue, assumption or acquisition, the Commission shall, in addition to considering the factors set forth in § 215 of Title 26, take such steps or condition any transfer in such a manner as to insure that any successor will continue safe and reliable transmission and distribution services. Any proceeding reviewing a change of control or transfer shall conclude within 120 days from the date of filing, unless agreed to by the Commission and the applicant.
(b) Section 706 of Title 19 shall apply to any business combination, as defined therein, including without limitation, the sale, merger or acquisition of DP&L or of DP&L's generating plants or utility assets in this State. This shall mean, without limiting the provisions of § 706 of Title 19, that:
(1) No such transaction shall result in the termination or impairment of the provisions of any labor contract negotiated by a duly certified or recognized labor organization, collective bargaining agent or other representative of the DP&L employees affected by such a transaction.
(2) Any such labor contract shall continue in effect with respect to all DP&L employees covered thereby until its termination date, unless otherwise agreed by the parties thereto or their legal successors;
(3) The sale, merger or acquisition of DP&L's generation or other utility assets in this State shall include a provision that the purchasing, merging or new entity shall offer to hire its initial union-represented employee complement from among DP&L's union-represented employees at the facilities being sold, merged or acquired at the time of the sale, merger or acquisition;
(4) The other party to the transaction shall bargain in good faith with the duly certified or recognized labor organization, collective bargaining agent or other representative that is the signatory to the labor contract referred to in paragraph (b)(2) of this section above in advance of the termination date of that labor contract for the purpose of extending or modifying such contract, as the parties thereto may agree.
(5) DP&L and the existing collective bargaining agents shall bargain in good faith to assure that any adverse effects on union-represented employees affected by such transaction are reasonably and satisfactorily mitigated. Such mitigation measures may include, but are not limited to, benefits such as training or re-training, severance pay and continued health care coverage.