                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PROHIBITION OF MULTIPLE RATE INCREASES WITHIN ANY TWELVE-MONTH PERIOD; EXCEPTION
(§ 56-235.4)

A. The regulated operating revenues of a public utility shall not be increased
pursuant to Chapter 9.1 (&#xA7; 56-231.15 et seq.), 10 (&#xA7; 56-232 et seq.)
or 19 (&#xA7; 56-531 et seq.) of this title more than once within any
twelve-month period. This limitation shall not apply to increases in regulated
operating revenues resulting from (i) increases in rates pursuant to &#xA7;
56-245 or &#xA7; 56-249.6, (ii) any automatic rate adjustment clause approved by
the Commission, (iii) new rate schedules for service not offered under existing
rate schedules or for expansion, reduction, or termination of existing services,
(iv) initiation, modification or termination of experimental rates under &#xA7;
56-234, or (v) the making permanent of an experimental program. Notwithstanding
any other provisions of this section, a telephone company may apply to the
Commission to pass on to its customers as a part of its rates any changes
approved by the Commission in the carrier access charges.

B. The Commission may adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary to
carry out the provisions of this section. The Commission may specify, by rule,
the time during the calendar year when application may be filed by electric
utility and cooperatives, gas utilities, telephone utilities and cooperatives,
and other utilities.
			The Commission may by rule provide standards and procedures for expedited
handling of rate increase applications, and such rules may provide that an
expedited rate increase may take effect in less than twelve months after the
preceding increase so long as regulated operating revenues are not increased
pursuant to the provisions of subsection A of this section more than once in any
calendar year.

HISTORY: 1984, c. 725; 1989, c. 666; 1990, c. 787; 1995, c. 382; 1997, c. 707;
2000, c. 994.