{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-76.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-76.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-76.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-76.html"}],"law_id":58706,"edition_id":1,"section_id":58706,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-76","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"1934, p. 743; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 3774(b); 1984, c. 721; 1987, c. 385; 1996, c. 19.","full_text":"The term “public service company” when used in this chapter shall mean every person, firm, corporation or association, or their lessees, trustees or receivers, other than a municipal corporation, now or hereafter engaged in business in this Commonwealth as a public utility and subject to regulation as to rates and service by the State Corporation Commission under the provisions of Chapter 10 (\u00a7 56-232 et seq.) of this title and, subject to the conditions specified therein, such companies as specified by the Commission pursuant to subsection C of \u00a7 56-77; however, the term shall not include and the provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to refer to transportation companies subject directly or indirectly to the control of the Interstate Commerce Commission.\n\t\tThe term “affiliated interest” when used in this chapter shall mean and include the following:\n\n1\n\nEvery corporation, partnership, association, or person owning or holding directly or indirectly ten percent or more of the voting securities of any public service company engaged in any intrastate business in this Commonwealth.2\n\nEvery corporation, partnership, association, or person, other than those specified in subdivision 1 hereof, in any chain of successive ownership of ten percent or more of voting securities, the chain beginning with the holder or holders of the voting securities of such public service company.3\n\nEvery corporation, partnership, association, or person ten percent or more of whose voting securities are owned by any person, corporation, partnership, or association owning ten percent or more of the voting securities of such public service company or by any person, corporation, association, or partnership in any such chain of successive ownership of ten percent or more of voting securities.4\n\nEvery corporation, partnership, association, or person with which such public service company has a management or service contract.5\n\nEvery corporation in which two or more of the corporate directors are common to those of such public service company, or which is managed or supervised by the same individual, group or corporation.6\n\nEvery corporation or person which the Commission may determine as a matter of fact after investigation and hearing is actually exercising any substantial influence over the policies and actions of such public service company even though such influence is not based upon stockholding, stockholders, directors or officers to the extent specified in this section.7\n\nEvery person or corporation which the Commission may determine as a matter of fact after investigation and hearing is actually exercising such substantial influence over the policies and action of such public service company in conjunction with one or more other corporations or persons with which or whom they are so connected or related by ownership or blood relationship or by action in concert that when taken together they are affiliated with such public service company within the meaning of this section even though no one of them alone is so affiliated.\n\t\t\tBut no such person or corporation shall be considered as affiliated within the meaning of this section if such person or corporation shall not have had transactions or dealings other than the holding of stock and the receipt of dividends thereon with such public service company during the two-year period next preceding.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":215139,"text":"The term “public service company” when used in this chapter shall mean every person, firm, corporation or association, or their lessees, trustees or receivers, other than a municipal corporation, now or hereafter engaged in business in this Commonwealth as a public utility and subject to regulation as to rates and service by the State Corporation Commission under the provisions of Chapter 10 (\u00a7 56-232 et seq.) of this title and, subject to the conditions specified therein, such companies as specified by the Commission pursuant to subsection C of \u00a7 56-77; however, the term shall not include and the provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to refer to transportation companies subject directly or indirectly to the control of the Interstate Commerce Commission.\n\t\tThe term “affiliated interest” when used in this chapter shall mean and include the following:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":215140,"text":"Every corporation, partnership, association, or person owning or holding directly or indirectly ten percent or more of the voting securities of any public service company engaged in any intrastate business in this Commonwealth.","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":215141,"text":"Every corporation, partnership, association, or person, other than those specified in subdivision 1 hereof, in any chain of successive ownership of ten percent or more of voting securities, the chain beginning with the holder or holders of the voting securities of such public service company.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":215142,"text":"Every corporation, partnership, association, or person ten percent or more of whose voting securities are owned by any person, corporation, partnership, or association owning ten percent or more of the voting securities of such public service company or by any person, corporation, association, or partnership in any such chain of successive ownership of ten percent or more of voting securities.","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":215143,"text":"Every corporation, partnership, association, or person with which such public service company has a management or service contract.","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"5"},"5":{"id":215144,"text":"Every corporation in which two or more of the corporate directors are common to those of such public service company, or which is managed or supervised by the same individual, group or corporation.","type":"section","prefixes":["5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"5","prefix_anchor":"5","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4","next_prefix":"6"},"6":{"id":215145,"text":"Every corporation or person which the Commission may determine as a matter of fact after investigation and hearing is actually exercising any substantial influence over the policies and actions of such public service company even though such influence is not based upon stockholding, stockholders, directors or officers to the extent specified in this section.","type":"section","prefixes":["6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"6","prefix_anchor":"6","level":1,"prior_prefix":"5","next_prefix":"7"},"7":{"id":215146,"text":"Every person or corporation which the Commission may determine as a matter of fact after investigation and hearing is actually exercising such substantial influence over the policies and action of such public service company in conjunction with one or more other corporations or persons with which or whom they are so connected or related by ownership or blood relationship or by action in concert that when taken together they are affiliated with such public service company within the meaning of this section even though no one of them alone is so affiliated.\n\t\t\tBut no such person or corporation shall be considered as affiliated within the meaning of this section if such person or corporation shall not have had transactions or dealings other than the holding of stock and the receipt of dividends thereon with such public service company during the two-year period next preceding.","type":"section","prefixes":["7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"7","prefix_anchor":"7","level":1,"prior_prefix":"6"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14481,"edition_id":1,"name":"Regulation of Relations With Affiliated Interests","identifier":"4","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:17","permalink":{"id":251097,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14481,"identifier":"4","token":"56\/4","url":"\/56\/4\/","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":58706,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-76","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/56-76\/","token":"56\/4\/56-76","metadata":false},{"id":55874,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-77","catch_line":"Certain contracts must be approved by the Commission","url":"\/56-77\/","token":"56\/4\/56-77","metadata":false},{"id":81232,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-78","catch_line":"Exclusion from accounts of payments to affiliated companies","url":"\/56-78\/","token":"56\/4\/56-78","metadata":false},{"id":84568,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-79","catch_line":"Proof of costs in cases of payment to affiliated companies","url":"\/56-79\/","token":"56\/4\/56-79","metadata":false},{"id":57044,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-80","catch_line":"Continuing supervisory control over terms and conditions of contracts","url":"\/56-80\/","token":"56\/4\/56-80","metadata":false},{"id":75419,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-81","catch_line":"Summary order prohibiting treatment of payments as operating expenses, etc","url":"\/56-81\/","token":"56\/4\/56-81","metadata":false},{"id":72660,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-82","catch_line":"Approval of loans to affiliates, etc","url":"\/56-82\/","token":"56\/4\/56-82","metadata":false},{"id":75136,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-83","catch_line":"Summary order prohibiting payment of dividends to affiliates","url":"\/56-83\/","token":"56\/4\/56-83","metadata":false},{"id":78171,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-84","catch_line":"Application or petition by public service company and affiliates; hearing; action of Commission; conditions imposed on foreign corporations","url":"\/56-84\/","token":"56\/4\/56-84","metadata":false},{"id":71714,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-85","catch_line":"Offenses","url":"\/56-85\/","token":"56\/4\/56-85","metadata":false},{"id":72643,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-86","catch_line":"Appeal from decisions of Commission under chapter","url":"\/56-86\/","token":"56\/4\/56-86","metadata":false},{"id":86159,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-87","catch_line":"Rules of Commission to carry out chapter","url":"\/56-87\/","token":"56\/4\/56-87","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":55874,"structure_id":14481,"section_number":"56-77","catch_line":"Certain contracts must be approved by the Commission","url":"\/56-77\/","token":"56\/4\/56-77","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-76\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. 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. Those modifications are as follows: in 1984, chapter 721; in 1987, chapter 385; in 1996, chapter 19<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":61910,"section_number":"2.2-1151.1","catch_line":"Conveyances of right-of-way usage to certain nonpublic service companies by the Department of Transportation","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-1151.1\/"},{"id":78143,"section_number":"46.2-752","catch_line":"Taxes and license fees imposed by counties, cities, and towns; limitations on amounts; disposition of revenues; requiring evidence of payment of personal property taxes and certain fines; prohibiting display of licenses after expiration; failure to display valid local license required by other localities; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-752\/"},{"id":82086,"section_number":"55.1-306.1","catch_line":"Utility easements; expansion of broadband","order_by":null,"url":"\/55.1-306.1\/"},{"id":71119,"section_number":"56-231.34:1","catch_line":"Separation of regulated and unregulated businesses","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-231.34_1\/"},{"id":62015,"section_number":"56-231.50:1","catch_line":"Separation of regulated and unregulated businesses","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-231.50_1\/"},{"id":70343,"section_number":"56-265.13:3","catch_line":"Applicability of chapter","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.13_3\/"},{"id":59777,"section_number":"56-265.13:7","catch_line":"Regulation by State Corporation Commission","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.13_7\/"},{"id":57183,"section_number":"56-265.4:6","catch_line":"Furnishing non-utility gas service","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.4_6\/"},{"id":77857,"section_number":"56-46.3","catch_line":"Foreign utility companies; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-46.3\/"},{"id":76084,"section_number":"56-533","catch_line":"Regulation by State Corporation Commission","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-533\/"},{"id":82389,"section_number":"56-585.1:11","catch_line":"Development of offshore wind capacity","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-585.1_11\/"},{"id":78934,"section_number":"56-585.1:3","catch_line":"Pilot programs for community solar development","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-585.1_3\/"},{"id":86105,"section_number":"56-590","catch_line":"Divestiture, functional separation and other corporate relationships","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-590\/"},{"id":75136,"section_number":"56-83","catch_line":"Summary order prohibiting payment of dividends to affiliates","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-83\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":75233,"section_number":"56-232","catch_line":"Public utility and schedules defined","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-232\/"},{"id":55874,"section_number":"56-77","catch_line":"Certain contracts must be approved by the Commission","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-77\/"}],"permalink":{"id":251099,"object_type":"law","relational_id":58706,"identifier":"56-76","token":"56\/4\/56-76","url":"\/56-76\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-76\/","token":"56\/4\/56-76","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-76","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The term “public service company<\/span>” when used in this chapter shall mean every person<\/span>, firm, corporation or association, or their lessees, trustees or receivers, other than a municipal corporation<\/span>, now or hereafter engaged in business in this Commonwealth as a public utility and subject to regulation as to rates<\/span> and service by the State Corporation Commission<\/span> under the provisions of Chapter 10 (\u00a7 56-232<\/a> et seq.) of this title and, subject to the conditions specified therein, such companies as specified by the Commission<\/span> pursuant to subsection C of \u00a7 56-77<\/a>; however, the term shall not include and the provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to refer to transportation companies subject directly or indirectly to the control of the Interstate Commerce Commission<\/span>.\n\t\tThe term “affiliated interest<\/span>” when used in this chapter shall mean and include the following:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Every corporation, partnership, association, or person<\/span> owning or holding directly or indirectly ten percent or more of the voting securities of any public service company<\/span> engaged in any intrastate business in this Commonwealth. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Every corporation, partnership, association, or person<\/span>, other than those specified in subdivision 1 hereof, in any chain of successive ownership of ten percent or more of voting securities, the chain beginning with the holder or holders of the voting securities of such public service company<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Every corporation, partnership, association, or person<\/span> ten percent or more of whose voting securities are owned by any person<\/span>, corporation, partnership, or association owning ten percent or more of the voting securities of such public service company<\/span> or by any person<\/span>, corporation, association, or partnership in any such chain of successive ownership of ten percent or more of voting securities. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Every corporation, partnership, association, or person<\/span> with which such public service company<\/span> has a management or service contract<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Every corporation in which two or more of the corporate directors are common to those of such public service company<\/span>, or which is managed or supervised by the same individual, group or corporation. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> Every corporation or person<\/span> which the Commission<\/span> may determine as a matter of fact<\/span> after investigation and hearing<\/span> is actually exercising any substantial influence over the policies and actions of such public service company<\/span> even though such influence is not based upon stockholding, stockholders, directors or officers to the extent specified in this section. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> Every person<\/span> or corporation which the Commission<\/span> may determine as a matter of fact<\/span> after investigation and hearing<\/span> is actually exercising such substantial influence over the policies and action of such public service company<\/span> in conjunction with one or more other corporations<\/span> or persons<\/span> with which or whom they are so connected or related by ownership or blood relationship or by action in concert that when taken together they are affiliated with such public service company<\/span> within the meaning of this section even though no one of them alone is so affiliated.\n\t\t\tBut no such person<\/span> or corporation shall be considered as affiliated within the meaning of this section if such person<\/span> or corporation shall not have had transactions or dealings other than the holding of stock and the receipt of dividends thereon with such public service company<\/span> during the two-year period next preceding. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 56-76)\n\nThe term “public service company” when used in this chapter shall\nmean every person, firm, corporation or association, or their lessees, trustees\nor receivers, other than a municipal corporation, now or hereafter engaged in\nbusiness in this Commonwealth as a public utility and subject to regulation as\nto rates and service by the State Corporation Commission under the provisions of\nChapter 10 (\u00a7 56-232 et seq.) of this title and, subject to the conditions\nspecified therein, such companies as specified by the Commission pursuant to\nsubsection C of \u00a7 56-77; however, the term shall not include and the provisions\nof this chapter shall not be deemed to refer to transportation companies subject\ndirectly or indirectly to the control of the Interstate Commerce Commission.\n\t\tThe term “affiliated interest” when used in this chapter shall\nmean and include the following:\n\n1. Every corporation, partnership, association, or person owning or holding\ndirectly or indirectly ten percent or more of the voting securities of any\npublic service company engaged in any intrastate business in this Commonwealth.\n\n2. Every corporation, partnership, association, or person, other than those\nspecified in subdivision 1 hereof, in any chain of successive ownership of ten\npercent or more of voting securities, the chain beginning with the holder or\nholders of the voting securities of such public service company.\n\n3. Every corporation, partnership, association, or person ten percent or more of\nwhose voting securities are owned by any person, corporation, partnership, or\nassociation owning ten percent or more of the voting securities of such public\nservice company or by any person, corporation, association, or partnership in\nany such chain of successive ownership of ten percent or more of voting\nsecurities.\n\n4. Every corporation, partnership, association, or person with which such public\nservice company has a management or service contract.\n\n5. Every corporation in which two or more of the corporate directors are common\nto those of such public service company, or which is managed or supervised by\nthe same individual, group or corporation.\n\n6. Every corporation or person which the Commission may determine as a matter of\nfact after investigation and hearing is actually exercising any substantial\ninfluence over the policies and actions of such public service company even\nthough such influence is not based upon stockholding, stockholders, directors or\nofficers to the extent specified in this section.\n\n7. Every person or corporation which the Commission may determine as a matter of\nfact after investigation and hearing is actually exercising such substantial\ninfluence over the policies and action of such public service company in\nconjunction with one or more other corporations or persons with which or whom\nthey are so connected or related by ownership or blood relationship or by action\nin concert that when taken together they are affiliated with such public service\ncompany within the meaning of this section even though no one of them alone is\nso affiliated.\n\t\t\tBut no such person or corporation shall be considered as affiliated within\nthe meaning of this section if such person or corporation shall not have had\ntransactions or dealings other than the holding of stock and the receipt of\ndividends thereon with such public service company during the two-year period\nnext preceding.\n\nHISTORY: 1934, p. 743; Michie Code 1942, \u00a7 3774(b); 1984, c. 721; 1987, c. 385;\n1996, c. 19.","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}}