Code of Virginia - Title 56 Public Service Companies - Chapter 10 Heat, Light, Power, Water And Other Utility Companies Generally

56-232 Public utility and schedules defined
A. The term "public utility" as used in §§ 56-233 to 56-240 and 56-246 to 56-250: 1. Shall mean and embrace every corporation (other than ...
56-232.1 Regulation of service by certain gas pipeline companies to municipalities
Notwithstanding any provision of law the Commission shall regulate, to the same extent as it regulates other public utilities, the utility service furnished to any ...
56-232.2 Regulation of compressed natural gas service
The Commission may refrain from regulating and prescribing the rates, charges, and fees for the provision of retail compressed natural gas service provided by corporations ...
56-232.3 Regulation of service by certain gas distribution companies to federal, state and local governmenta...
Notwithstanding the provisions of § 56-232, the Commission shall regulate, to the same extent as it regulates other public utility service, the utility service furnished ...
56-233 Service defined
The term "service" is used in this chapter in its broadest and most inclusive sense and includes not only the use and quality of accommodations ...
56-233.1 Public utilities purchasing practices
Every public utility subject to the annual or biennial review provisions of Title 56 shall use competitive bidding to the extent practicable in its purchasing ...
56-234 Duty to furnish adequate service at reasonable and uniform rates
It shall be the duty of every public utility to furnish reasonably adequate service and facilities at reasonable and just rates to any person, firm ...
56-234.1 Liability to customer for violation of duty to determine and charge lowest rate applicabl...
It shall be the duty of every public utility, upon written request by the customer, to determine the lowest rate applicable, provided that such public ...
56-234.2 Review of rates
The Commission shall review the rates of any public utility on an annual basis when, in the opinion of the Commission, such annual review is ...
56-234.3 Approval of expenditures for and monitoring of new generation facilities and projected operation pr...
Prior to construction or financial commitments therefor, any electric utility subject to the jurisdiction of the State Corporation Commission intending to construct any new generation ...
56-234.4 Authority to investigate utility operations to determine efficiency
The Commission shall have the authority to investigate public utilities for the purpose of determining efficiency and economy of operations. (1977, c. 261.) ...
56-234.5 Required disclosure by certain officers and directors of certain utilities
If it comes to the attention of any elected officer or director of a public utility, as defined in § 56-232, that such public utility ...
56-235 When Commission may fix rates, schedules, etc.; conformance with chapter
If upon investigation the rates, tolls, charges, schedules, or joint rates of any public utility operating in this Commonwealth shall be found to be unjust, ...
56-235.1 Conservation of energy and capital resources
It shall be the duty of the Commission to investigate from time to time the acts, practices, rates or charges of public utilities so as ...
56-235.2 All rates, tolls, etc., to be just and reasonable to jurisdictional customers; findings and conclus...
A. Any rate, toll, charge or schedule of any public utility operating in this Commonwealth shall be considered to be just and reasonable only if: ...
56-235.3 Procedures for investigation of rate applications
At any hearing on the application of a public utility for a change in a rate, toll, charge or schedule, the burden of proof to ...
56-235.4 Prohibition of multiple rate increases within any twelve-month period; exception
A. The regulated operating revenues of a public utility shall not be increased pursuant to Chapter 9.1 (§ 56-231.15 et seq.), 10 (§ 56-232 et ...
56-235.5 Telephone regulatory alternatives
A. As used in this section, "telephone company" means any public service corporation or public service company which holds a certificate of public convenience and ...
56-235.5:1 Local exchange telephone service competition policy
The Commission, in resolving issues and cases concerning local exchange telephone service under the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-104), this title, or both, ...
56-235.6 Optional performance-based regulation of certain utilities
A. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Commission may approve a performance-based ratemaking methodology for any public utility engaged in the business ...
56-235.7 Jurisdiction of Commission when federal governmental facility ceases to be retail customer of elect...
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in § 56-234, the rates and charges for service to any federal governmental facility that is a retail customer of ...
56-235.8 Retail supply choice for natural gas customers
A. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, each public utility authorized to furnish natural gas service in Virginia (gas utility) is authorized to ...
56-235.9 Recovery of funds used for capital projects prior to a rate case for strategic natural gas faciliti...
A. As used in this section: "Capitalized carrying cost" includes the return on the investment, depreciation, and tax. "Natural gas utility" means any investor-owned public ...
56-236 Public utilities required to file, etc., schedules of rates and charges; rules and regulation...
Every public utility shall be required to file with the Commission and to keep open to public inspection schedules showing rates and charges, either for ...
56-236.1 Rates to be charged churches
No electric utility, subject to regulation by the Commission, shall charge a church for its services by any method other than actual kilowatt hour consumption; ...
56-236.2 Suspension of service to sewerage system
No public utility furnishing heat, light or power to a sewerage system, after receiving notice pursuant to § 56-261 or § 56-265.11:1 from the person ...
56-237 How changes in rates effected; notice required; changes to be indicated on schedules
No change shall be made in any schedule filed pursuant to the preceding section (§ 56-236), including schedules of joint rates, except after thirty days' ...
56-237.1 Same; notification of intent to seek rate change
A. Every public utility which indicates upon existing schedules, or upon new schedules filed in lieu thereof, changes in rates, tolls, charges, rules and regulations, ...
56-237.2 Public hearings on protests or objections to rate changes
Whenever pursuant to § 56-237 there shall be filed with the Commission any schedule stating a change of rate, toll or charge and a protest ...
56-238 Suspension of proposed rates, etc.; investigation; effectiveness of rates pending investigation an...
The Commission, either upon complaint or on its own motion, may suspend the enforcement of any or all of the proposed rates, tolls, charges, rules ...
56-239 Appeal from action of Commission
The public utility whose schedules shall have been so filed or the Commonwealth or other party in interest or party aggrieved may appeal to the ...
56-240 Proposed rates, etc., or changes thereof, not suspended effective subject to later change by Commis...
Unless the Commission so suspends such schedule of rates, tolls, charges, rules and regulations, or changes thereof, the same shall go into effect as originally ...
56-241 Rates of telephone companies
The power of the Commission over the rates of telephone companies shall be as defined (i) by this chapter and § 56-481 or (ii) by ...
56-241.1 Flat and measured telephone rates; certain rates prohibited
Every telephone company which offers dial tone line or substantially equivalent local service shall offer to its residential and business customers at least one offering ...
56-241.2 Approval of rates for resale of telephone service
Notwithstanding the provisions of § 56-241.1, the Commission may approve a mandatory tariff based only on the number of calls for any telephone company if ...
56-242 Temporary reduction of rates
Whenever the Commission, pending an investigation had upon its own motion, or upon complaint, is of the opinion and so finds after an examination of ...
56-243 Duration of such temporary reduction
No temporary order made under § 56-242 shall remain in force or effect for a longer period than nine months from its effective date, and ...
56-244 Increase to make up for losses due to excessive temporary reduction
If upon a final disposition of the issues involved in a proceeding mentioned in § 56-242, the rates or charges as finally determined by the ...
56-245 Temporary increase in rates
Whenever the Commission, upon petition of any public utility, is of the opinion and so finds, after an examination of the reports, annual or otherwise, ...
56-245.1 Meters to be kept in good working condition; defective meters
(1) Any person, firm, corporation, county, city, town or association, hereinafter referred to as person, who or which furnishes water, gas or electricity to the ...
56-245.1:1 Customers to be notified about nuclear emergency evacuation plans
At least once in every calendar year after July 1, 1980, each electric public utility which owns, operates or maintains a nuclear generating facility in ...
56-245.1:2 Customers to be notified of renewable power options.
Beginning January 1, 2009, at least once each calendar quarter, each investor-owned electric utility in the Commonwealth shall include in or on the customer bills ...
56-245.2 Definitions
A. When used in this article, unless expressly stated otherwise: "Apartment house" means a building or buildings with the primary purpose of residential occupancy containing ...
56-245.3 Commission to promulgate regulations and standards
A. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the Commission shall promulgate regulations and standards under which any owner, operator, or manager of an apartment house, ...
56-246 Tests and equipment therefor
The Commission may purchase such materials, apparatus and standard measuring instruments for such examinations and tests as it may deem necessary, and may provide for ...
56-247 Commission may change regulations, measurements, practices, services, or acts
If upon investigation it shall be found that any regulation, measurement, practice, act or service of any public utility complained of is unjust, unreasonable, insufficient, ...
56-247.1 Commission to require public utilities to follow certain procedures
The Commission shall require that public utilities adhere to the following procedures: A. Every public utility shall provide its residential customers one full billing period ...
56-248 Commission to prescribe standard units of products or service
The Commission shall ascertain and prescribe for each kind of public utility suitable standard commercial units of products or service. (Code 1919, § 4070.) ...
56-248.1 Commission to monitor fuel prices and utility fuel purchases; fuel price index
The Commission shall monitor all fuel purchases, transportation costs, and contracts for such purchases of a utility to ascertain that all feasible economies are being ...
56-249 Reports by utilities
The Commission, with or without an investigation, may require any public utility to furnish to it in such form, at such times, and in such ...
56-249.1 Commission may require transfer of gas, water or electricity by one utility to another; compensatio...
The Commission may require a public utility to transfer to another public utility of like business, gas, water or electricity, whenever the public health, welfare ...
56-249.2 Certain records to be maintained
All public utilities doing business in this State shall, on and after January 1, 1977, or the beginning of the next fiscal year of the ...
56-249.3 Certain electric utilities to file reports in relation to fuel transactions, fuel purchases, fuel a...
The Commission shall require that public electric utilities, owning and operating generating facilities, or privately owned utilities purchasing power at wholesale for retail sales within ...
56-249.4 How reports shall be filed; reports open to public; rules and regulations
A. The information filed pursuant to § 56-249.3 shall be filed with the Commission in affidavit form within forty-five days following the close of the ...
56-249.5 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 1979, c. 492. ...
56-249.6 Recovery of fuel and purchased power costs
A. 1. Each electric utility that purchases fuel for the generation of electricity or purchases power and that was not, as of July 1, 1999, ...
56-249.7 Certain directors and officers of utility to file shareholder information
The directors and officers of any public utility as defined in § 56-232 shall file with the Commission a record of all officers and directorships ...
56-250 Commission may authorize action by public utility in time of emergency or shortage; plans
(1) Whenever it shall appear by satisfactory evidence that any public utility furnishing in this State power, heat, light or water cannot supply all of ...
56-251 , 56-252
Repealed by Acts 1974, c. 478. ...
56-253 Existing remedies retained
Nothing contained in this chapter shall in any way abridge or alter the remedies at common law, in equity, or by statute, but the provisions ...
56-254 Sale or lease of plants to cities or towns
The board of directors of any public service corporation operating a gas, electric or water plant within the limits of any city or town, or ...
56-255 Extension of electric service to territory not being served
If, from any rural territory not now being served, application be made to the Commission by a group of five or more persons, natural or ...
56-256 Powers of corporations generally; rights, powers, privileges and immunities, etc
Every corporation organized for the purpose of: (1) constructing, maintaining, and operating an electric railway, or works, (2) supplying and distributing electricity for light, heat, ...
56-257 Manner of installing underground utility lines
A. Every operator, as defined in § 56-265.15, having the right to install underground utility lines, as defined in § 56-265.15, except interstate gas pipelines ...
56-257.1 Means of locating nonmetallic underground conduits
Any plastic or other nonmetallic pressurized conduit installed underground on and after July 1, 1976, shall have affixed thereto a wire conductive of electricity or ...
56-257.2 Gas pipeline safety
A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Commission shall have the authority to regulate the safety of master-metered gas systems, landfill gas transmission or ...
56-257.3 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 2005, c. 35. ...
56-258 Who to permit laying of pipelines in roads
The Commonwealth Transportation Board or the board of supervisors or other governing body in any county that has withdrawn its county roads from the secondary ...
56-259 Rights-of-way, etc., may be contracted for; location of easements of public service corporation...
A. Any corporation of the character mentioned in this chapter or in Chapter 2 (§ 56-49 et seq.) may contract with any person or corporation, ...
56-259.1 Instruments conveying easements to public service corporations
No instrument executed by a landowner after January 1, 2002, by which an easement of right of way in land is conveyed to a public ...
56-260 Compensation for damages
If any company of the character mentioned in this chapter and such owner as is referred to in § 56-259 cannot agree on the terms ...
56-260.1 Contract provisions exempting company from liability unlawful
No contract for an easement of right-of-way for a pipeline, power or telephone line, sewer, main or similar works shall contain any provision which purports ...
56-261 Duties of companies furnishing water or sewerage facilities
Every public service corporation engaged in the business of furnishing water or sewerage facilities to any city, incorporated town, or county having a population greater ...
56-261.1 Duties of water and sewerage companies in certain counties
Chapter 298 of the Acts of 1950, approved April 4, 1950, requiring water and sewerage companies in any county adjoining a county having a population ...
56-261.2 Hydrant connections and water supply for fire protection in certain counties
Chapter 319 of the Acts of 1950, approved April 4, 1950, relating to any county adjoining a county having a population in excess of 2,000 ...
56-262 Proceeding upon failure of public service corporation to perform duties
If any such public service corporation shall fail or refuse to perform any of the duties imposed by § 56-261 or by this chapter, any ...
56-263 Commission may order increase in service
The Commission, after due notice to such public service corporation, shall investigate such complaint and if, upon such investigation, the Commission shall determine that the ...
56-264 Quo warranto in case of failure to comply with order of Commission
If any such public service corporation shall fail or refuse to comply with any order of the Commission made pursuant to the provisions of § ...
56-264.1 Collection of rates, fees and charges
In the event that the rates, fees or charges charged by any private sewage disposal system company for the services and facilities of any sewage ...
56-264.2 Governing board of multistate entities operating certain sewage treatment facilities; arbitration o...
A. As used in this section, "multistate entity" means any corporation, company, political subdivision, association, or other legal entity, without regard to whether such entity ...
56-265 Certain sections not to limit Commission's powers
Nothing in § 56-261 or §§ 56-262 through 56-264 shall be construed so as to limit or curtail the existing powers of the Commission to ...

Last modified: April 3, 2009