{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-509.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-509.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-509.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-509.html"}],"law_id":56358,"edition_id":1,"section_id":56358,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-509","catch_line":"Uninterrupted functioning and operation of essential public utilities","history":"1952, c. 696; 2022, c. 234.","full_text":"The continuous, uninterrupted, and proper functioning and operation of public utilities engaged in the business of furnishing water, light, heat, gas, electric power, transportation, communication, or any one or more of them to the people of Virginia are hereby declared to be essential to the public welfare, health, and safety. It is contrary to the public policy of the Commonwealth to permit any substantial impairment or suspension of the operation of any such utility, and it is the duty of the Commonwealth to exercise all available means and every power at its command to prevent the same so as to protect its citizens from any dangers, perils, calamities, or catastrophes that would result therefrom. Further, such utilities are declared to be of vital public interest, and as such, it is necessary that impairment or suspension of the operation of any such utility for any reason be prevented to the extent and by the means hereafter provided.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":206385,"text":"The continuous, uninterrupted, and proper functioning and operation of public utilities engaged in the business of furnishing water, light, heat, gas, electric power, transportation, communication, or any one or more of them to the people of Virginia are hereby declared to be essential to the public welfare, health, and safety. It is contrary to the public policy of the Commonwealth to permit any substantial impairment or suspension of the operation of any such utility, and it is the duty of the Commonwealth to exercise all available means and every power at its command to prevent the same so as to protect its citizens from any dangers, perils, calamities, or catastrophes that would result therefrom. Further, such utilities are declared to be of vital public interest, and as such, it is necessary that impairment or suspension of the operation of any such utility for any reason be prevented to the extent and by the means hereafter provided.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14707,"edition_id":1,"name":"State Operation of Public Utilities","identifier":"17","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:26","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:26","permalink":{"id":250249,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14707,"identifier":"17","token":"56\/17","url":"\/56\/17\/","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":56358,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-509","catch_line":"Uninterrupted functioning and operation of essential public utilities","url":"\/56-509\/","token":"56\/17\/56-509","metadata":false},{"id":73501,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-510","catch_line":"Duty of Governor when there is threat of curtailment, interruption, etc., of operation","url":"\/56-510\/","token":"56\/17\/56-510","metadata":false},{"id":61223,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-511","catch_line":"Power of Governor to possess and operate utility","url":"\/56-511\/","token":"56\/17\/56-511","metadata":false},{"id":67658,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-512","catch_line":"Employment of utility employees by Commonwealth; information to be furnished","url":"\/56-512\/","token":"56\/17\/56-512","metadata":false},{"id":82132,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-513","catch_line":"Replacement of utility employees unwilling to work for Commonwealth","url":"\/56-513\/","token":"56\/17\/56-513","metadata":false},{"id":85186,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-514","catch_line":"Status as employee of utility unaffected by acceptance or refusal of employment by Commonwealth","url":"\/56-514\/","token":"56\/17\/56-514","metadata":false},{"id":74359,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-515","catch_line":"Entry upon property of utility after proclamation of intention to take possession","url":"\/56-515\/","token":"56\/17\/56-515","metadata":false},{"id":78487,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-516","catch_line":"When possession of utility to be delivered; procedure upon refusal of possession","url":"\/56-516\/","token":"56\/17\/56-516","metadata":false},{"id":61416,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-517","catch_line":"Interference with or obstruction of Governor, state representative or agent","url":"\/56-517\/","token":"56\/17\/56-517","metadata":false},{"id":79373,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-518","catch_line":"Expense of operation, etc.; payment of revenues, etc., into state treasury","url":"\/56-518\/","token":"56\/17\/56-518","metadata":false},{"id":73986,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-519","catch_line":"Previously established salaries, wages, conditions of employment, etc., to be observed; collective bargaining","url":"\/56-519\/","token":"56\/17\/56-519","metadata":false},{"id":69360,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-520","catch_line":"Collection and disposition of revenues accruing from utility","url":"\/56-520\/","token":"56\/17\/56-520","metadata":false},{"id":81570,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-521","catch_line":"Restoring possession to utility","url":"\/56-521\/","token":"56\/17\/56-521","metadata":false},{"id":64051,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-522","catch_line":"Compensation to utility","url":"\/56-522\/","token":"56\/17\/56-522","metadata":false},{"id":86625,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-523","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-523\/","token":"56\/17\/56-523","metadata":false},{"id":73606,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-524","catch_line":"Penalties","url":"\/56-524\/","token":"56\/17\/56-524","metadata":false},{"id":62983,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-525","catch_line":"Injunction against violation of chapter","url":"\/56-525\/","token":"56\/17\/56-525","metadata":false},{"id":81545,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-526","catch_line":"Duty of Commonwealth's attorneys and Attorney General; employment of special counsel","url":"\/56-526\/","token":"56\/17\/56-526","metadata":false},{"id":86351,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-527","catch_line":"Chapter not applicable to certain carriers","url":"\/56-527\/","token":"56\/17\/56-527","metadata":false},{"id":64842,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-528","catch_line":"Governor's powers as commander in chief not impaired","url":"\/56-528\/","token":"56\/17\/56-528","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":73501,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-510","catch_line":"Duty of Governor when there is threat of curtailment, interruption, etc., of operation","url":"\/56-510\/","token":"56\/17\/56-510","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-509\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1952. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 696 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 1952 \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 2022, chapter 234<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":85772,"section_number":"56-265.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.1\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":250251,"object_type":"law","relational_id":56358,"identifier":"56-509","token":"56\/17\/56-509","url":"\/56-509\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-509\/","token":"56\/17\/56-509","dublin_core":{"Title":"Uninterrupted functioning and operation of essential public utilities","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-509","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The continuous, uninterrupted, and proper functioning and operation of public utilities engaged in the business of furnishing water, light, heat, gas, electric power, transportation, communication, or any one or more of them to the people of Virginia are hereby declared to be essential to the public welfare, health, and safety. It is contrary to the public policy of the Commonwealth to permit any substantial impairment or suspension of the operation of any such utility, and it is the duty of the Commonwealth to exercise all available means and every power at its command to prevent the same so as to protect its citizens from any dangers, perils, calamities, or catastrophes that would result therefrom. Further, such utilities are declared to be of vital public interest, and as such, it is necessary that impairment or suspension of the operation of any such utility for any reason be prevented to the extent and by the means hereafter provided.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUNINTERRUPTED FUNCTIONING AND OPERATION OF ESSENTIAL PUBLIC UTILITIES (\u00a7\n56-509)\n\nThe continuous, uninterrupted, and proper functioning and operation of public\nutilities engaged in the business of furnishing water, light, heat, gas,\nelectric power, transportation, communication, or any one or more of them to the\npeople of Virginia are hereby declared to be essential to the public welfare,\nhealth, and safety. It is contrary to the public policy of the Commonwealth to\npermit any substantial impairment or suspension of the operation of any such\nutility, and it is the duty of the Commonwealth to exercise all available means\nand every power at its command to prevent the same so as to protect its citizens\nfrom any dangers, perils, calamities, or catastrophes that would result\ntherefrom. Further, such utilities are declared to be of vital public interest,\nand as such, it is necessary that impairment or suspension of the operation of\nany such utility for any reason be prevented to the extent and by the means\nhereafter provided.\n\nHISTORY: 1952, c. 696; 2022, c. 234.","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}}