Senate Joint Resolution 91 of 1998 (Appendix A) continued the General Assembly's examination of electric utility industry restructuring. The study was initially begun pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 118 of 1996 to determine whether restructuring the retail electricity market in Virginia is feasible and in the public interest. Thereafter, the study was continued under Senate Joint Resolution 259 of 1997. Restructuring, as envisioned by its proponents, would permit industrial, commercial and residential electricity customers to purchase electric generation services from the providers of their choosing, leaving regulated transmission and local distribution of electricity.

House Bill 1172, passed by the 1998 General Assembly (Appendix B), established a general framework and timetable for restructuring. However, the bill left the development of a detail restructuring plan to future sessions of the General Assembly. Thus, this study proceeded with the mandate to prepare such legislation in anticipation of its consideration in the 1999 General Assembly.