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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>75595</law_id><section_number>56-596.5</section_number><catch_line>Rate increases in certain months prohibited; Phase I Utility</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>58.1-322.03</reference><reference>58.1-402</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="23">Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Notwithstanding any other provision of <span class="dictionary">law</span>, the <span class="dictionary">rates</span> for electric generation and distribution services by a Phase I Utility, as defined in subdivision A 1 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Generation, distribution, and transmission rates after capped rates terminate or expire" href="/56-585.1/">56-585.1</a>, shall not be increased during the months of November through February. <a id="paragraph-271536" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/56-596.5/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Notwithstanding any other provision of <span class="dictionary">law</span>, during the months of November through February, no new <span class="dictionary">rate</span> adjustment clause shall be applied to a Phase I Utility&#x2019;s residential customers&#x2019; bills and no existing <span class="dictionary">rate</span> adjustment clause applicable to such customers&#x2019; bills shall be increased. The <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">final order</span> regarding any <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for a <span class="dictionary">rate</span> adjustment clause that results in an increase to residential customer <span class="dictionary">rates</span>, including any <span class="dictionary">petition</span> filed pursuant to subdivision A 4, 5, or 6 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Generation, distribution, and transmission rates after capped rates terminate or expire" href="/56-585.1/">56-585.1</a> or &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective until July 1, 2034) Recovery of development costs associated with small modular nuclear facility" href="/56-585.1_15/">56-585.1:15</a>, <a class="law" title="Generation of electricity from renewable and zero carbon sources" href="/56-585.5/">56-585.5</a>, or <a class="law" title="Universal service fee; Percentage of Income Payment Program and Fund" href="/56-585.6/">56-585.6</a>, issued between September 1 and December 31 shall direct that the applicable <span class="dictionary">rate</span> adjustment clause be applied to customers&#x2019; bills beginning on March 1 of the following year. <a id="paragraph-271537" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/56-596.5/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2025, cc. 497, 597.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
