reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
VA Code § 56-231.50:1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 9.1 - Utility Consumer Services Cooperatives and Utility Aggregation Cooperatives|§ 56-231.50:1. Separation of regulated and unregulated businesses

A. No cooperative that engages in a regulated utility service shall conduct any unregulated business activity, other than traditional cooperative activities, except in or through one or more affiliates of such cooperative. No such affiliates, formed to engage in any business that is not a regulated utility service, shall engage in regulated utility services.B. The Commission shall promulgate rules and regulations to promote effective and fair competition between (i) affiliates of cooperatives that are engaged in business activities which are not regulated utility services and (ii) other persons engaged in the same or similar businesses. The rules and regulations shall be effective by July 1, 2000, and shall include provisions:1. Prohibiting cost-shifting or cross-subsidies between a cooperative and its affiliates;2. Prohibiting anticompetitive behavior or self-dealing between a cooperative and its affiliates;3. Prohibiting a cooperative from engaging in discriminatory behavior towards nonaffiliated entities; and4. Establishing codes of conduct detailing permissible relations between a cooperative and its affiliates. In establishing such codes, the Commission shall consider, among other things, whether and, if so, under what circumstances and conditions (i) a cooperative may provide its affiliates with customer lists or other customer information, sales leads, procurement advice, joint promotions, and access to billing or mailing systems unless such information or services are made available to third parties under the same terms and conditions, (ii) the cooperative's name, logos or trademarks may be used in promotional, advertising or sales activities conducted by its affiliates, and (iii) the cooperative's vehicles, equipment, office space and employees may be used by its affiliates.C. Nothing in this article shall be deemed to abrogate or modify the Commission's authority under Chapter 4 (§ 56-76 et seq.) of this title.1999, c. 874; 2000, cc. 944, 999.
VA Code § 56-231.50:2 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 9.1 - Utility Consumer Services Cooperatives and Utility Aggregation Cooperatives|§ 56-231.50:2. Right of action; violation of rules or regulations

A. Any person who suffers loss as the proximate result of a violation by a cooperative or its affiliate of any rule or regulation adopted by the Commission pursuant to § 56-231.50:1 shall be entitled to initiate an action to recover actual damages or $500, whichever is greater, and to obtain injunctive relief. Any action pursuant to this section shall be commenced within two years after its accrual.B. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in addition to any damages awarded, such person may also be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and court costs.C. In any case arising under this section, no liability shall be imposed upon any cooperative or its affiliate which shows by a preponderance of the evidence that (i) the act or practice alleged to be in violation of any rule or regulation adopted by the Commission pursuant to § 56-231.50:1 was an act or practice over which the same had no control or (ii) the alleged violation resulted from a bona fide error notwithstanding the maintenance of procedures reasonably adopted to avoid a violation. However, nothing in this section shall prevent the court from ordering restitution and payment of reasonable attorney's fees and court costs pursuant to subsection B to any person aggrieved as a result of an unintentional violation.1999, c. 874.
VA Code § 56-231.51 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 9.1 - Utility Consumer Services Cooperatives and Utility Aggregation Cooperatives|§ 56-231.51. Construction of article and conflicting laws

This article is to be liberally construed and the enumeration of any object, purpose, power, manner, method or thing shall not be deemed to exclude like or similar objects, purposes, powers, manners, methods or things, and any provisions of other laws in conflict with the provisions of this article shall not apply to cooperatives operating hereunder. Any object, purpose, power, manner, method or thing which is not specifically prohibited is permitted.1999, c. 874.
VA Code § 56-231.52 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 9.1 - Utility Consumer Services Cooperatives and Utility Aggregation Cooperatives|§ 56-231.52. Citation to article

This article may be cited as the "Utility Aggregation Cooperatives Act."1999, c. 874.
VA Code § 56-232.1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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 municipal corporation by a natural gas pipeline transmission company, all of whose facilities are located within the Commonwealth, and the rates, charges and facilities of such company used to furnish such service.1985, c. 41.
VA Code § 56-232.2 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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 other than public service corporations. Wholesale compressed natural gas sales provided by public service corporations shall continue to be regulated by the Commission to the same extent as are services provided by other public utilities under this chapter. The Commission may adopt regulations implementing this statute.1991, c. 263.
VA Code § 56-232.2:1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 56-232.2:1. Regulation of electric vehicle charging service

The Commission shall not regulate or prescribe the rates, charges, and fees for the provision of retail electric vehicle charging service provided by any agency as defined in § 2.2-128, persons, localities, or school boards other than public service corporations. Sales of electricity by public utilities to an agency as defined in § 2.2-128, a person, a locality, or a school board that (i) is not a public service corporation and (ii) provides electric vehicle charging service shall continue to be regulated by the Commission to the same extent as are other services provided by public utilities. The Commission may adopt regulations implementing this section.2011, c. 408; 2017, c. 239; 2018, cc. 295, 446; 2019, c. 248; 2020, c. 490.
VA Code § 56-232.3 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 56-232.3. Regulation of service by certain gas distribution companies to federal, state and local governmental facilities

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 to any federal, state or local governmental facility by a natural gas distribution company for which a service area has been determined by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or its predecessor, under Section 717(f)(1) of the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. § 717(f)(1). 1995, c. 454.
VA Code § 56-233 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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 afforded consumers or patrons, but also any product or commodity furnished by any public utility and equipment, apparatus, appliances and facilities devoted to the purposes in which such public utility is engaged and to the use and accommodation of the public.Code 1919, § 4068; 1980, c. 249.
VA Code § 56-233.1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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 and construction practices. In addition, all such public utilities shall file with the Commission and keep current a description of its purchasing and construction practices.1978, c. 627; 2007, cc. 888, 933; 2008, c. 522.
VA Code § 56-234.1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 56-234.1. Liability to customer for violation of duty to determine and charge lowest rate applicable

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 utility shall not be required to make such a determination for any single customer more frequently than annually. If the rate charged thereafter is not such lowest rate applicable, such public utility shall be liable to the customer for the amount of the difference between the amount paid by the customer and the amount that would have been paid if the customer had been charged the lowest rate applicable from and after the customer's request; provided that the public utility may require and rely on written information from the customer relating to the customer's expected demand for and use of the utility service where such information is relevant to the determination required hereunder. Where a contract for a specified period of time is lawfully required by the public utility, the rates prescribed by such contract shall be lawful during the term of such contract so long as they are the lowest applicable to the conditions of service specified in the contract, unless the actual conditions of service require the application of a higher rate. This section shall not be applicable to rates charged by any public utility prior to July 1, 1970.1970, c. 258.
VA Code § 56-234.2 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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 in the public interest, provided that the rates of a public utility subject to § 56-585.1 shall be reviewed in accordance with subsection A of that section.1972, c. 537; 2007, cc. 888, 933.
VA Code § 56-234.4 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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.
VA Code § 56-234.5 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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 has, during the preceding calendar year, let a construction, engineering or equipment contract, including any subcontract, of a value in excess of $750,000 to a contractor or subcontractor in which such officer or director, or the spouse of such officer or director living in the same household, owns stocks or bonds or an equity interest, constituting more than five percent of the ownership of such contractor or subcontractor or valued at more than $50,000, whichever is less, such officer or director shall file with the Commission, by April 30 of each year, a list of every such contractor or subcontractor. This requirement shall only apply to the elected officer or director of a public utility that has its rates, tolls, charges, or schedules set by the Commission based on the public utility's cost of providing service.1979, c. 9; 2010, c. 581.
VA Code § 56-235 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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, unreasonable, insufficient or unjustly discriminatory or to be preferential or otherwise in violation of any of the provisions of law, the State Corporation Commission shall have power to fix and order substituted therefor such rate or rates, tolls, charges or schedules as shall be just and reasonable. All rates, tolls, charges or schedules set by the Commission shall be valid only if they are in full conformance with the provisions of this chapter.Code 1919, § 4071; 1977, c. 336.
VA Code § 56-235.1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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 to determine whether such acts, practices, rates or charges are reasonably calculated to promote the maximum effective conservation and use of energy and capital resources used by public utilities in rendering utility service. Where the Commission finds that the public interest would be served, it may order any public utility to eliminate, alter or adopt a substitute for any act, practice, rate or charge which is not reasonably calculated to promote the maximum effective conservation and use of energy and capital resources used by public utilities in providing utility service and it may further provide for the dissemination of information to the public, either through the Commission staff or through a public utility, in order to promote public understanding and cooperation in achieving effective conservation of such resources; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the adoption of any rate or charge which is clearly not cost-based or which is in the nature of a penalty for otherwise permissible use of utility services. This section shall not apply to telephone companies.1976, c. 379; 2011, cc. 738, 740.
VA Code § 56-235.1:1 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 56-235.1:1. Rates for stand-by electric service at renewable cogeneration facilities

A. The Commission shall adopt regulations pursuant to its rules of practice and procedure that require an electric utility to provide a rate for stand-by service to customers that operate a cogeneration facility in the Commonwealth that generates renewable energy, as defined in § 56-576. Such regulations shall allow the electric utility to recover all of the costs that are identified by the electric utility and determined by the Commission to be related to the provision of the stand-by service, including but not limited to the costs of transformers and other equipment required to provide stand-by service and the costs of capacity and generation, including but not limited to fuel costs.B. Within 90 days following the effective date of the regulations adopted pursuant to subsection A, each public utility providing electric service in the Commonwealth shall submit a plan setting forth how the utility will comply with the regulations if it does not already have stand-by provisions approved by the Commission that comply with the regulations. The Commission shall, after notice and the opportunity for hearing, determine whether a utility's plan complies with the regulations.2009, c. 745.
VA Code § 56-235.1:2 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 56-235.1:2. Costs of using small, women-owned, or minority-owned businesses

In any proceeding under this title in which the Commission is required to determine whether costs incurred by a public utility in its delivery or provision of any goods or service are reasonable or prudent, the incremental portion of the costs incurred as a result of the public utility's contracting with a small, woman-owned, or minority-owned business to deliver or provide the goods or service rather than contracting with a business that could have delivered or provided the goods or service at lower costs shall not be found to be unreasonable or imprudently incurred, provided that the costs of the delivery or provision of the goods or services by the small, woman-owned, or minority-owned business do not exceed, by more than three percent, the costs thereof that would have been incurred had the public utility contracted with the lowest-cost qualified business. As used in this section, "small, woman-owned, or minority-owned business" means a business that is certified by the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity as a small, women-owned, or minority-owned business pursuant to the conditions and provisions in § 2.2-1604.2020, c. 744.
VA Code § 56-235.3 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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 show that the proposed change is just and reasonable, shall be upon the public utility. The Commission shall be authorized to prescribe all necessary rules and regulations for the conduct of such hearings which shall provide for full and fair participation in such hearings by any interested person subject to such guidelines as the Commission may deem appropriate. Upon the conclusion of such hearings, the Commission shall issue an order and such opinion as is necessary to set forth fully the Commission's findings of fact and conclusions of law. Copies of the transcripts of public hearings held to establish a fair rate of return and changes in rates, tolls and charges for investor-owned public utilities involving significant public interest shall be placed in no less than one location nor more than three locations in the geographic area served by the utility. The Commission shall determine which proceedings are of sufficient interest to require the placing of such transcripts and the location or locations to be used; provided, however, that proceedings involving investor-owned utilities serving 25,000 or more customers shall be deemed to be of sufficient public interest.1977, c. 336.
VA Code § 56-235.4 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 56 - Public Service Companies|Chapter 10 - Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally|§ 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 seq.) or 19 (§ 56-531 et seq.) of this title more than once within any twelve-month period. This limitation shall not apply to increases in regulated operating revenues resulting from (i) increases in rates pursuant to § 56-245 or § 56-249.6, (ii) any automatic rate adjustment clause approved by the Commission, (iii) new rate schedules for service not offered under existing rate schedules or for expansion, reduction, or termination of existing services, (iv) initiation, modification or termination of experimental rates under § 56-234, or (v) the making permanent of an experimental program. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, a telephone company may apply to the Commission to pass on to its customers as a part of its rates any changes approved by the Commission in the carrier access charges.B. The Commission may adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. The Commission may specify, by rule, the time during the calendar year when application may be filed by electric utility and cooperatives, gas utilities, telephone utilities and cooperatives, and other utilities.The Commission may by rule provide standards and procedures for expedited handling of rate increase applications, and such rules may provide that an expedited rate increase may take effect in less than twelve months after the preceding increase so long as regulated operating revenues are not increased pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of this section more than once in any calendar year.1984, c. 725; 1989, c. 666; 1990, c. 787; 1995, c. 382; 1997, c. 707; 2000, c. 994.