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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72101</law_id><section_number>56-242</section_number><catch_line>Temporary reduction of rates</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>56-243</reference><reference>56-244</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="56">Public Service Companies</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="10">Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="2">Services, Rates, Charges, Etc</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Whenever the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>, pending an investigation had upon its own <span class="dictionary">motion</span>, or upon complaint, is of the <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> and so finds after an examination of any report or reports, annual or otherwise, filed with the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> by any public utility, together with any other <span class="dictionary">facts</span> or information which the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> may acquire or receive from an investigation of the books, records, or papers, or from an inspection of the property of such public utility, that the net income of such public utility, after reasonable deductions for depreciation and other proper and necessary reserves, is in excess of the amount required for a reasonable return upon the value of such public utility&#x2019;s property, used and useful in rendering its service to the public, and if the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> is of the <span class="dictionary">opinion</span> and so finds in such cause that a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> to determine all of the <span class="dictionary">issues</span> involved in a final determination of <span class="dictionary">rates</span> of service will require more than ninety days of elapsed time, the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> may, in case of such emergency, enter a temporary <span class="dictionary">order</span>, after not less than ten days&#x2019; notice to such public utility of its contemplated action and affording to it reasonable opportunity to introduce <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> and to be heard thereon, fixing a temporary schedule of <span class="dictionary">rates</span>, which <span class="dictionary">order</span> shall be forthwith binding upon such public utility. But the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>&#x2019;s power to <span class="dictionary">order</span> reductions in <span class="dictionary">rates</span> and charges of any public utility by means of such a temporary <span class="dictionary">order</span>, is limited to reductions which will absorb not more than the amount found by the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> to be in excess of the amount of income, as determined by the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>, necessary to provide a reasonable return on the value of the property of such public utility as found by the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> as aforesaid.</p></section></text><history>1934, p. 365; Michie Code 1942, &#xA7; 4071a.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
