{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-265.4_1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-265.4_1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-265.4_1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-265.4_1.html"}],"law_id":59749,"edition_id":1,"section_id":59749,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4:1","catch_line":"Furnishing of electric public utility service or provision of facilities therefor by municipal corporations and other governmental bodies","history":"1964, c. 228; 1978, c. 325.","full_text":"If any municipal corporation or other governmental body, having legal authority by charter or other law, shall desire to supply electric public utility service, or construct, enlarge or acquire, by lease or otherwise, any electric utility facilities, outside its political boundaries, it shall have power to enter into agreements in that regard with affected public utilities which shall be binding in accordance with their terms and for the period therein provided; but no contract entered into under this section shall limit the power of the Commission to fix rates and to otherwise regulate a public utility. No such service by a municipal corporation or other governmental body shall be provided, or facilities constructed, enlarged or acquired, in territory allotted to any public utility by the Commission except in territory served by such municipal corporation or other governmental body on June 26, 1964, unless the affected public utility shall consent by such an agreement or the Commission shall grant a certificate therefor upon application by the municipal corporation or other governmental body pursuant to \u00a7 56-265.4, authority for which certification is hereby granted. Provided, however, this limitation on the extension of public utility service by any municipal corporation or governmental body outside its political boundaries shall not be applicable to cities or towns extending their service in accordance with the provisions of \u00a7 56-265.4:2. No public utility shall extend its electric public utility service, or construct, enlarge or acquire, by lease or otherwise, any electric utility facilities, in territory served exclusively by a municipal corporation or other governmental body on June 26, 1964, unless such municipal corporation or other governmental body shall consent by such an agreement. In case of question as to the scope of the territory served by a municipal corporation or other governmental body on June 26, 1964, the Commission may, and on application by either such public utility or such municipal corporation or other governmental body shall, decide such question and allot such territory accordingly, between such public utility and such municipal corporation or other governmental body, in which event any expansion of service outside the territory so allotted shall be subject to the applicable provisions of this chapter, provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall prevent any municipal corporation from constructing or maintaining facilities in county areas for the purpose of generating or purchasing electricity to be transmitted into the service area of such municipal corporation.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":218814,"text":"If any municipal corporation or other governmental body, having legal authority by charter or other law, shall desire to supply electric public utility service, or construct, enlarge or acquire, by lease or otherwise, any electric utility facilities, outside its political boundaries, it shall have power to enter into agreements in that regard with affected public utilities which shall be binding in accordance with their terms and for the period therein provided; but no contract entered into under this section shall limit the power of the Commission to fix rates and to otherwise regulate a public utility. No such service by a municipal corporation or other governmental body shall be provided, or facilities constructed, enlarged or acquired, in territory allotted to any public utility by the Commission except in territory served by such municipal corporation or other governmental body on June 26, 1964, unless the affected public utility shall consent by such an agreement or the Commission shall grant a certificate therefor upon application by the municipal corporation or other governmental body pursuant to \u00a7 56-265.4, authority for which certification is hereby granted. Provided, however, this limitation on the extension of public utility service by any municipal corporation or governmental body outside its political boundaries shall not be applicable to cities or towns extending their service in accordance with the provisions of \u00a7 56-265.4:2. No public utility shall extend its electric public utility service, or construct, enlarge or acquire, by lease or otherwise, any electric utility facilities, in territory served exclusively by a municipal corporation or other governmental body on June 26, 1964, unless such municipal corporation or other governmental body shall consent by such an agreement. In case of question as to the scope of the territory served by a municipal corporation or other governmental body on June 26, 1964, the Commission may, and on application by either such public utility or such municipal corporation or other governmental body shall, decide such question and allot such territory accordingly, between such public utility and such municipal corporation or other governmental body, in which event any expansion of service outside the territory so allotted shall be subject to the applicable provisions of this chapter, provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall prevent any municipal corporation from constructing or maintaining facilities in county areas for the purpose of generating or purchasing electricity to be transmitted into the service area of such municipal corporation.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14176,"edition_id":1,"name":"Utility Facilities Act","identifier":"10.1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:08","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:08","permalink":{"id":249127,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14176,"identifier":"10.1","token":"56\/10.1","url":"\/56\/10.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12881,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":248473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12881,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":85772,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-265.1\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.1","metadata":false},{"id":75556,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.2","catch_line":"Certificate of convenience and necessity required for acquisition, etc., of new facilities","url":"\/56-265.2\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.2","metadata":false},{"id":78990,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.2:1","catch_line":"Approval by Commission required for construction of certain gas pipelines and related facilities; notice and hearing","url":"\/56-265.2_1\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.2_1","metadata":false},{"id":60647,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.3","catch_line":"Certificate to furnish public utility service; allotment of territory transfers, leases or amendments","url":"\/56-265.3\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.3","metadata":false},{"id":78937,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.3:1","catch_line":"Certificates to furnish water and sewer service","url":"\/56-265.3_1\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.3_1","metadata":false},{"id":64018,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4","catch_line":"Certificate to operate in territory of another certificate holder","url":"\/56-265.4\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4","metadata":false},{"id":59749,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4:1","catch_line":"Furnishing of electric public utility service or provision of facilities therefor by municipal corporations and other governmental bodies","url":"\/56-265.4_1\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4_1","metadata":false},{"id":82310,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4:2","catch_line":"Extension of service by cities and towns into annexed areas","url":"\/56-265.4_2\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4_2","metadata":false},{"id":55913,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4:3","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-265.4_3\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4_3","metadata":false},{"id":55350,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4:4","catch_line":"Certificate to operate as a telephone utility","url":"\/56-265.4_4\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4_4","metadata":false},{"id":59368,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4:5","catch_line":"Furnishing gas service to commercial and industrial customers in an area not certificated for public utility gas service","url":"\/56-265.4_5\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4_5","metadata":false},{"id":57183,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4:6","catch_line":"Furnishing non-utility gas service","url":"\/56-265.4_6\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4_6","metadata":false},{"id":64154,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4:7","catch_line":"Discontinuing natural gas service; municipal corporation","url":"\/56-265.4_7\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4_7","metadata":false},{"id":70671,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.5","catch_line":"Effective date of certificates","url":"\/56-265.5\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.5","metadata":false},{"id":75195,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.6","catch_line":"Penalties for misrepresentations, violations of law, regulations or terms of certificates","url":"\/56-265.6\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.6","metadata":false},{"id":65727,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.7","catch_line":"Appeal from order of revocations, etc","url":"\/56-265.7\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.7","metadata":false},{"id":85864,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.8","catch_line":"Proceedings before Commission on or before July 1, 1950","url":"\/56-265.8\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.8","metadata":false},{"id":59710,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.8:1","catch_line":"Inspection and approval of certain installations not regulated pursuant to this chapter","url":"\/56-265.8_1\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.8_1","metadata":false},{"id":56468,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.9","catch_line":"Title of chapter","url":"\/56-265.9\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":64018,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4","catch_line":"Certificate to operate in territory of another certificate holder","url":"\/56-265.4\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":82310,"structure_id":14176,"section_number":"56-265.4:2","catch_line":"Extension of service by cities and towns into annexed areas","url":"\/56-265.4_2\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4_2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-265.4:1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1964. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 228 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1964 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 1978, chapter 325.<\/p>","references":[{"id":77551,"section_number":"56-580","catch_line":"Transmission and distribution of electric energy","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-580\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":64018,"section_number":"56-265.4","catch_line":"Certificate to operate in territory of another certificate holder","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.4\/"},{"id":82310,"section_number":"56-265.4:2","catch_line":"Extension of service by cities and towns into annexed areas","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.4_2\/"}],"permalink":{"id":249153,"object_type":"law","relational_id":59749,"identifier":"56-265.4:1","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4_1","url":"\/56-265.4_1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-265.4_1\/","token":"56\/10.1\/56-265.4_1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Furnishing of electric public utility service or provision of facilities therefor by municipal corporations and other governmental bodies","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-265.4:1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

If any municipal corporation<\/span> or other governmental body, having legal authority by charter or other law<\/span>, shall desire to supply electric public utility<\/span> service, or construct, enlarge or acquire, by lease or otherwise, any electric utility facilities, outside its political boundaries, it shall have power to enter into agreements in that regard with affected public utilities which shall be binding in accordance with their terms and for the period therein provided; but no contract<\/span> entered into under this section shall limit the power of the Commission<\/span> to fix rates<\/span> and to otherwise regulate a public utility<\/span>. No such service by a municipal corporation<\/span> or other governmental body shall be provided, or facilities constructed, enlarged or acquired, in territory allotted to any public utility<\/span> by the Commission<\/span> except in territory served by such municipal corporation<\/span> or other governmental body on June 26, 1964, unless the affected public utility<\/span> shall consent by such an agreement or the Commission<\/span> shall grant a certificate therefor upon application by the municipal corporation<\/span> or other governmental body pursuant to \u00a7 56-265.4<\/a>, authority for which certification is hereby granted. Provided, however, this limitation on the extension of public utility<\/span> service by any municipal corporation<\/span> or governmental body outside its political boundaries shall not be applicable to cities or towns extending their service in accordance with the provisions of \u00a7 56-265.4:2<\/a>. No public utility<\/span> shall extend its electric public utility<\/span> service, or construct, enlarge or acquire, by lease or otherwise, any electric utility facilities, in territory served exclusively by a municipal corporation<\/span> or other governmental body on June 26, 1964, unless such municipal corporation<\/span> or other governmental body shall consent by such an agreement. In case of question as to the scope of the territory served by a municipal corporation<\/span> or other governmental body on June 26, 1964, the Commission<\/span> may, and on application by either such public utility<\/span> or such municipal corporation<\/span> or other governmental body shall, decide such question and allot such territory accordingly, between such public utility<\/span> and such municipal corporation<\/span> or other governmental body, in which event any expansion of service outside the territory so allotted shall be subject to the applicable provisions of this chapter, provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall prevent any municipal corporation<\/span> from constructing or maintaining facilities in county areas for the purpose of generating or purchasing electricity to be transmitted into the service area of such municipal corporation<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nFURNISHING OF ELECTRIC PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICE OR PROVISION OF FACILITIES\nTHEREFOR BY MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL BODIES (\u00a7 56-265.4:1)\n\nIf any municipal corporation or other governmental body, having legal authority\nby charter or other law, shall desire to supply electric public utility service,\nor construct, enlarge or acquire, by lease or otherwise, any electric utility\nfacilities, outside its political boundaries, it shall have power to enter into\nagreements in that regard with affected public utilities which shall be binding\nin accordance with their terms and for the period therein provided; but no\ncontract entered into under this section shall limit the power of the Commission\nto fix rates and to otherwise regulate a public utility. No such service by a\nmunicipal corporation or other governmental body shall be provided, or\nfacilities constructed, enlarged or acquired, in territory allotted to any\npublic utility by the Commission except in territory served by such municipal\ncorporation or other governmental body on June 26, 1964, unless the affected\npublic utility shall consent by such an agreement or the Commission shall grant\na certificate therefor upon application by the municipal corporation or other\ngovernmental body pursuant to \u00a7 56-265.4, authority for which certification is\nhereby granted. Provided, however, this limitation on the extension of public\nutility service by any municipal corporation or governmental body outside its\npolitical boundaries shall not be applicable to cities or towns extending their\nservice in accordance with the provisions of \u00a7 56-265.4:2. No public utility\nshall extend its electric public utility service, or construct, enlarge or\nacquire, by lease or otherwise, any electric utility facilities, in territory\nserved exclusively by a municipal corporation or other governmental body on June\n26, 1964, unless such municipal corporation or other governmental body shall\nconsent by such an agreement. In case of question as to the scope of the\nterritory served by a municipal corporation or other governmental body on June\n26, 1964, the Commission may, and on application by either such public utility\nor such municipal corporation or other governmental body shall, decide such\nquestion and allot such territory accordingly, between such public utility and\nsuch municipal corporation or other governmental body, in which event any\nexpansion of service outside the territory so allotted shall be subject to the\napplicable provisions of this chapter, provided, however, that nothing contained\nherein shall prevent any municipal corporation from constructing or maintaining\nfacilities in county areas for the purpose of generating or purchasing\nelectricity to be transmitted into the service area of such municipal\ncorporation.\n\nHISTORY: 1964, c. 228; 1978, c. 325.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}