Vermont § 2801 - General duties; rates; powers of Public Utility Commission

§ 2801. General duties; rates; powers of Public Utility Commission

• (a) A person, association, company, or corporation engaged in the business of generating
  in this State electric energy or transmitting in this State electric energy generated
  from outside the State and distributing it for heating, lighting, or power purposes
  or for any other public use, if and when requested so to do, at all reasonable times
  shall sell and distribute the same to any and all persons, companies, associations,
  cooperatives, and corporations, municipal, public, or private, that desire to use
  the same within this State for either or any of such purposes. Such sale and distribution
  shall be subject, however, to such reasonable limitations as to the amount of energy
  to be furnished a purchaser, and shall in no case be beyond what is reasonably necessary
  and also as to the distance from the generating plant or from its lines of transmission
  that such energy shall be delivered, as the Public Utility Commission may determine
  after hearing had upon due notice thereof given to the parties interested. The charges
  made by a person, company, or corporation for electric energy so sold and distributed,
  shall be reasonable. In case the parties do not agree as to the amount of such charges,
  the Public Utility Commission, upon hearing had after proper notice to both, shall
  fix and determine the same, and may, upon like notice and hearing, from time to time,
  change them; and, fixing and determining such charges, the amount sold and the distance
  from the generating plant or lines of transmission to the place of delivery, and such
  other conditions as affect the cost of production, transmission, and value shall be
  considered. (b) Such charges made by such person, association, company, or corporation for such electric
  energy shall not include the cost of political activity or political advertising incurred
  or paid by such person, association, company, or corporation. (c) For the purposes of this section: (1) “Activity” means speaking engagements, consultations, and appearances, and all things
  done or matters performed in preparation for or in connection with such things. (2) “Political activity” means activity within the definition of “legislative counsel”
  or “legislative agent” as those terms are defined by 2 V.S.A. § 251, similar activity before or in connection with other political forums and similar
  or like activities engaged in for the purpose of influencing public opinion with respect
  to the election or appointment of public officials, referenda, legislation, or ordinances,
  or for the purpose of influencing the decisions of public officials, but shall not
  include such expenditures that are directly related to appearances before regulatory
  or other governmental bodies in connection with the reporting and defending the existing
  or proposed rates and operations of such person, association, company, or corporation. (3) “Advertising” means the commercial use of any media including newspaper and all other
  forms of print, radio, and television, in order to transmit a message to a substantial
  number of members of the public or customers of a utility. (4) “Political advertising” means advertising for the purpose of influencing public opinion
  with respect to any legislative, executive, administrative, or electoral decision. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 39(b), eff. March 1, 1961; 1961, No. 180, § 4; 1967, No. 66, § 1; 1977, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.).)