Code of Virginia - Title 56 Public Service Companies - Chapter 1 General Provisions

56-1 Definitions
Whenever used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Broadband connection," for purposes of this section, means a connection where transmission speeds ...
56-1.1 Designation as public service corporation
The State Corporation Commission may designate a business enterprise operating as a telephone or telecommunications company to be a public service corporation when, upon appropriate ...
56-1.2 Persons not designated as public utility, public service corporation, etc
The terms public utility, public service corporation or public service company, as used in Chapters 1 (§ 56-1 et seq.), 10 (§ 56-232 et seq.), ...
56-1.3 Regulation of Voice-over-Internet protocol service.
Notwithstanding any provision of law, except §§ 56-484.12:1 and 58.1-3813.1, to the contrary: 1. "Telecommunications service" and "telephone service" shall not include the provision of ...
56-2 Public service corporations, etc., governed by provisions of this title
Every public service corporation heretofore or hereafter incorporated and authorized to construct, maintain, or operate, in this Commonwealth, any work of public service, and every ...
56-3 Expenses prior to organization
The expenses incurred prior to the organization of any public service corporation, for preliminary surveys, or for stationery or advertising, or any other necessary matter ...
56-4 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 1954, c. 188. ...
56-5 Triple damages for injury to property of public service corporation
Any person who shall wilfully destroy, injure, or obstruct any of the works or property of a public service corporation shall be liable to such ...
56-5.1 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 2005, c. 35. ...
56-6 Remedies of persons aggrieved by public service corporation's violation of law
Any person or corporation aggrieved by anything done or omitted in violation of any of the provisions of this or any other chapter under this ...
56-7 Common law, etc., remedies not altered or abridged
Nothing contained in this title shall in any way abridge or alter existing remedies at common law or under any other statute, but the new ...
56-8 Repeal of charter
The charter of every public service corporation heretofore or hereafter incorporated may be repealed by any future General Assembly; but no law shall be passed ...
56-8.1 Free services to members of General Assembly and others prohibited
No public service corporation doing business in this Commonwealth shall grant to any member of the General Assembly or to any state, county, district, or ...
56-8.2 Appeals in rate cases
Any public service corporation which is required by law to file a schedule of rates with the Commission, or the Commonwealth, or any other party ...
56-9 Sale of public service corporation under deed of trust; how purchaser may form new corporatio...
If a sale be made under a deed of trust or mortgage, executed by a public service corporation, on all its works and property, and ...
56-10 Effect of such sale; date for meeting of stockholders
The corporation created by or in consequence of such sale and conveyance shall succeed to all such franchises, rights, and privileges, and perform all such ...
56-11 Debts and claims against corporation so sold
The debts due to and by, and claims against, the corporation whose works and property are so sold, shall be subject to the provisions contained ...
56-12 Works and property sold under court decree subject to provisions of three preceding section...
The works and property of a public service corporation sold under a decree of a court having competent jurisdiction shall be held by the purchaser ...
56-13 Effect of dissolution of public service corporation
When any public service corporation shall expire or be dissolved, or its corporate rights and privileges shall have ceased, all of its works and property, ...
56-14 Streets, etc., of city or town not to be occupied without its consent; compensation
No public service corporation, cold storage, compressed air, viaduct, conduit, or bridge company, nor any corporation, association, person, or partnership, engaged in these or like ...
56-15 Permits to place poles, wires, etc., in roads and streets in certain counties; charge therefo...
The governing body of Albemarle County, Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Prince William County, or York County, may adopt an ordinance requiring any person, firm or ...
56-16 Wagonways to be constructed across roads, railroads, canals, and other works; enforcement
For the purpose of this section, "wagonway" means a vehicular crossing adequate to permit the passage of machinery and vehicles used for agricultural or forestal ...
56-16.1 Telephone, telegraph or electric power lines crossing railroads
A. If a telephone, telegraph or electric power company desires to cross the works of a railroad company and the parties thereto cannot agree on ...
56-16.2 Public utility lines crossing railroads.
A. As used in this section: "Municipality" means a city, county, town, authority, or other political subdivision of the Commonwealth. "Public utility line" means any ...
56-17 Right of one public service corporation to cross the works of another; cost
If any public service corporation deems it necessary in the construction of its works to cross the works of any other public service corporation, it ...
56-18 Submission of plans for such crossing
Before any such work as is mentioned in § 56-17 is commenced, the president or general managing officer of the company which proposes to cross ...
56-19 Contest by company whose works are crossed
Any company whose works are to be crossed under the provisions of §§ 56-17 and 56-18 may, within fifteen days from the date of the ...
56-20 Payment for damage occasioned by crossing works of public service corporations
If any such crossing as is provided for in §§ 56-17 to 56-19 cause damage to the works of any company, or to the owner ...
56-21 When work on crossing works of public service corporation to proceed; no injunction to be awarde...
Upon the failure of the company desiring to make any crossing pursuant to §§ 56-17 to 56-19 to receive notice of the suspension of the ...
56-22 Change of course of railroad, etc., to avoid crossings
If any public service corporation desires that the course of any other railroad, turnpike, canal, or other works shall be changed to avoid the necessity ...
56-23 Crossing of highway by public service corporation
If any public service corporation deems it necessary in the construction of its works or in changing its grade or line or in double tracking ...
56-24 Effect of crossing on highway
Such crossing shall be so located, constructed and operated as not to impair, impede or obstruct, in any material degree, the state highway or county ...
56-25 Manner of construction of crossing
Such crossing shall be supported by such permanent and proper structures and fixtures, and shall be controlled by such customary and approved appliances, methods, and ...
56-26 Cost of crossing
The cost of any such crossing, its appliances and apparatus, and of the repair and operation of the same, shall be borne by the railroad, ...
56-27 Applications required for crossings
Before the work is commenced upon any such crossing, the public service corporation which proposes to cross the public road shall make written application to ...
56-28 Contest by county or Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner
The board of supervisors or other governing body aforesaid or the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner may, however, within thirty days from the date of the submission ...
56-29 Change of course of highway to avoid crossings
If any public service corporation desires that the course of any public road shall be changed to avoid the necessity of any crossing, or frequent ...
56-30 Payment of damages occasioned by crossing highway
If any such crossing or change as is provided for in §§ 56-23 to 56-32 cause damage to any county property or public highway, or ...
56-31 When work of crossing highway to proceed
Upon failure of the company desiring to make any crossing pursuant to § 56-23 to receive notice of suspension of the work on such crossing ...
56-32 Limitation on crossing rights if altering, closing or obstructing highway or stream involve...
No state highway or county road or stream, or watercourse, shall be altered, closed or obstructed by any public service corporation for any of the ...
56-33 Duty of corporation whose wires cross other works
Every corporation, association, person, or partnership erecting or maintaining any wires over or across the works of a public service corporation shall support the same ...
56-34 General Assembly may require connections between public service corporations
The General Assembly reserves the right to provide for connecting any work of a railroad, canal, or turnpike company, or other public service corporation, with ...
56-35 Regulation of public service companies
The Commission shall have the power, and be charged with the duty, of supervising, regulating and controlling all public service companies doing business in this ...
56-36 Inspection of books and documents; special reports; rules and regulations to prevent unjust discrim...
The Commission shall also have the right at all times to inspect the books, papers and documents of all public service companies doing business in ...
56-37 Regulation of services performed under municipal or county franchise
Nothing in § 56-36 shall impair the right which has heretofore been, or may hereafter be, conferred by law upon the authorities of any city, ...
56-38 Adjustment of claims and controversies
Upon the request of the parties interested, it shall be the duty of the Commission, as far as possible, to effect, by mediation, the adjustment ...
56-39 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 1995, c. 647. ...
56-40 Reduction of rates and charges
The Commission, in the exercise of its discretion, may permit any public utility corporation to put into effect any proposed revision of its rate schedules, ...
56-41 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 39. ...
56-41.1 Rates and charges for use of poles by telephone cooperatives, mutual telephone associations and sma...
A. The General Assembly has determined that the joint use of poles by electric light, heat and power companies, telephone cooperatives, mutual telephone associations and ...
56-42 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 39. ...
56-43 Examination of public service company; notice; fines and penalties
Upon the complaint and application of the mayor or council of any city or town or the board of supervisors or other governing body of ...
56-44 through 56-46
Repealed by Acts 1996, cc. 114 and 157. ...
56-46.1 Commission to consider environmental, economic and improvements in service reliability factors in a...
A. Whenever the Commission is required to approve the construction of any electrical utility facility, it shall give consideration to the effect of that facility ...
56-46.2 Construction of electrical transmission lines
The construction of all overhead electrical transmission lines shall adhere to the standards set forth in the National Electrical Safety Code. The Commission shall, upon ...
56-46.3 Foreign utility companies; penalties
A. The provisions of § 33 (a) (2) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 (PUHCA), as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 79, et ...

Last modified: April 3, 2009