The natural persons executing the certificate of incorporation shall be residents of the territory in which the principal operations of the corporation are to be conducted, who are desirous of using electric energy to be furnished by the corporation. The certificate of incorporation shall be acknowledged by the subscribers before any officer authorized to take acknowledgments to deeds or other instruments. When so acknowledged, the certificate may be filed with the Secretary of State at any time thereafter within six (6) months of the date of the last acknowledgment. When submitted for filing, the Secretary of State shall accept and file the certificate and enter the date of filing in its records. The certificate of incorporation shall be effective as of the date on which the certificate of incorporation is filed with the Secretary of State, and the powers specified in the certificate of incorporation shall thereupon be vested in the corporation without further formalities.