{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-521.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-521.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-521.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-521.html"}],"law_id":81570,"edition_id":1,"section_id":81570,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-521","catch_line":"Restoring possession to utility","history":"1952, c. 696; 2005, c. 681.","full_text":"Whenever the authorized representatives of any such utility shall notify the Governor, in writing, stating that the utility is in position to and can and will resume operations and render normal public service, and shall satisfy the Governor, or his designated agent of the correctness of such statement, the Governor, or such agent, upon the request of the utility management, shall restore to the possession of the utility its properties and facilities. In the event that the Governor or such agent for any reason refuses such restoration of possession, the utility shall have the right to have a rule issued by the circuit court in the City of Richmond, or the judge thereof in vacation, to show cause why such possession should not be restored. The rule shall provide for 10 days’ notice to the Governor or such agent before cause is required to be shown. The decision of such court, or the judge thereof in vacation, on such question shall be final as to conditions then existing, but shall not be a bar to subsequent requests by the utility for restoration of possession. Nothing in this section shall be construed as denying to the Governor the right to restore possession at any time when, in his judgment, the public interest so requires.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":292141,"text":"Whenever the authorized representatives of any such utility shall notify the Governor, in writing, stating that the utility is in position to and can and will resume operations and render normal public service, and shall satisfy the Governor, or his designated agent of the correctness of such statement, the Governor, or such agent, upon the request of the utility management, shall restore to the possession of the utility its properties and facilities. In the event that the Governor or such agent for any reason refuses such restoration of possession, the utility shall have the right to have a rule issued by the circuit court in the City of Richmond, or the judge thereof in vacation, to show cause why such possession should not be restored. The rule shall provide for 10 days’ notice to the Governor or such agent before cause is required to be shown. The decision of such court, or the judge thereof in vacation, on such question shall be final as to conditions then existing, but shall not be a bar to subsequent requests by the utility for restoration of possession. Nothing in this section shall be construed as denying to the Governor the right to restore possession at any time when, in his judgment, the public interest so requires.","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}],"previous_section":{"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},"next_section":{"id":64051,"structure_id":14707,"section_number":"56-522","catch_line":"Compensation to utility","url":"\/56-522\/","token":"56\/17\/56-522","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-521\/","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 2005, chapter 681<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":250299,"object_type":"law","relational_id":81570,"identifier":"56-521","token":"56\/17\/56-521","url":"\/56-521\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-521\/","token":"56\/17\/56-521","dublin_core":{"Title":"Restoring possession to utility","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-521","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Whenever the authorized representatives of any such utility shall notify the Governor, in writing, stating that the utility is in position to and can and will resume operations and render normal public service, and shall satisfy the Governor, or his designated agent of the correctness of such statement, the Governor, or such agent, upon the request of the utility management, shall restore to the possession<\/span> of the utility its properties and facilities. In the event that the Governor or such agent for any reason refuses such restoration of possession<\/span>, the utility shall have the right to have a rule issued by the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> in the City of Richmond, or the judge<\/span> thereof in vacation, to show cause why such possession<\/span> should not be restored. The rule shall provide for 10 days’ notice to the Governor or such agent before cause is required to be shown. The decision of such court<\/span>, or the judge<\/span> thereof in vacation, on such question shall be final as to conditions then existing, but shall not be a bar to subsequent requests by the utility for restoration of possession<\/span>. Nothing in this section shall be construed as denying to the Governor the right to restore possession<\/span> at any time when, in his judgment<\/span>, the public interest so requires.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRESTORING POSSESSION TO UTILITY (\u00a7 56-521)\n\nWhenever the authorized representatives of any such utility shall notify the\nGovernor, in writing, stating that the utility is in position to and can and\nwill resume operations and render normal public service, and shall satisfy the\nGovernor, or his designated agent of the correctness of such statement, the\nGovernor, or such agent, upon the request of the utility management, shall\nrestore to the possession of the utility its properties and facilities. In the\nevent that the Governor or such agent for any reason refuses such restoration of\npossession, the utility shall have the right to have a rule issued by the\ncircuit court in the City of Richmond, or the judge thereof in vacation, to show\ncause why such possession should not be restored. The rule shall provide for 10\ndays’ notice to the Governor or such agent before cause is required to be\nshown. The decision of such court, or the judge thereof in vacation, on such\nquestion shall be final as to conditions then existing, but shall not be a bar\nto subsequent requests by the utility for restoration of possession. Nothing in\nthis section shall be construed as denying to the Governor the right to restore\npossession at any time when, in his judgment, the public interest so requires.\n\nHISTORY: 1952, c. 696; 2005, c. 681.","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}}