---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 16451"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "16451"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/16451"
units:
  - "Chapter 149 — National Energy Policy and Programs"
  - "Subchapter XII — Electricity"
  - "Part D"
---

# §16451. Definitions


For purposes of this part:

- (1) **Affiliate—** The term “affiliate” of a [company](#4) means any [company](#4), 5 percent or more of the outstanding [voting securities](#17) of which are owned, controlled, or held with power to vote, directly or indirectly, by such [company](#4).
- (2) **Associate company—** The term “associate company” of a [company](#4) means any [company](#4) in the same [holding company system](#9) with such [company](#4).
- (3) **Commission—** The term “Commission” means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
- (4) **Company—** The term “company” means a [corporation](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2), partnership, association, joint stock company, business trust, or any organized group of [persons](#12), whether incorporated or not, or a receiver, trustee, or other liquidating agent of any of the foregoing.
- (5) **Electric utility company—** The term “electric utility company” means any [company](#4) that owns or operates facilities used for the generation, transmission, or distribution of electric energy for sale.
- (6) **Exempt wholesale generator and foreign utility company—** The terms “exempt wholesale generator” and “foreign utility company” have the same meanings as in sections 79z–5a and 79z–5b of title 15, as those sections existed on the day before the effective date of this part.
- (7) **Gas utility company—** The term “gas utility company” means any [company](#4) that owns or operates facilities used for distribution at retail (other than the distribution only in enclosed [portable](/usc/42/16121.md?p=3) containers or distribution to tenants or employees of the [company](#4) operating such facilities for their own use and not for resale) of natural or manufactured gas for heat, light, or power.
- (8) **Holding company—**
  - (A) **In general—** The term “holding company” means—
    - (i) any [company](#4) that directly or indirectly owns, controls, or holds, with power to vote, 10 percent or more of the outstanding [voting securities](#17) of a [public-utility company](#14) or of a [holding company](#8-A) of any [public-utility company](#14); and
    - (ii) any [person](#12), determined by the [Commission](#3), after notice and opportunity for hearing, to exercise directly or indirectly (either alone or pursuant to an arrangement or understanding with one or more [persons](#12)) such a controlling influence over the management or policies of any [public-utility company](#14) or [holding company](#8-A) as to make it necessary or appropriate for the rate protection of utility [customers](/usc/42/7275.md?p=5) with respect to rates that such [person](#12) be subject to the obligations, duties, and liabilities imposed by this part upon [holding companies](#8-A).
  - (B) **Exclusions—** The term “[holding company](#8-A)” shall not include—
    - (i) a bank, savings association, or trust [company](#4), or their operating subsidiaries that own, control, or hold, with the power to vote, [public utility](#13) or [public utility](#13) [holding company](#8-A) securities so long as the securities are—
      - (I) held as collateral for a loan;
      - (II) held in the ordinary course of business as a fiduciary; or
      - (III) acquired solely for purposes of liquidation and in connection with a loan previously contracted for and owned beneficially for a period of not more than two years; or
    - (ii) a broker or dealer that owns, controls, or holds with the power to vote [public utility](#13) or [public utility](#13) [holding company](#8-A) securities so long as the securities are—
      - (I) not beneficially owned by the broker or dealer and are subject to any voting instructions which may be given by [customers](/usc/42/7275.md?p=5) or their assigns; or
      - (II) acquired within 12 months in the ordinary course of business as a broker, dealer, or underwriter with the bona fide intention of effecting distribution of the specific securities so acquired.
- (9) **Holding company system—** The term “holding company system” means a [holding company](#8-A), together with its [subsidiary companies](#16).
- (10) **Jurisdictional rates—** The term “jurisdictional rates” means rates accepted or established by the [Commission](#3) for the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce, the sale of electric energy at wholesale in interstate commerce, the transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce, and the sale in interstate commerce of natural gas for resale for ultimate public consumption for domestic, commercial, industrial, or any other use.
- (11) **Natural gas company—** The term “natural gas company” means a [person](#12) engaged in the transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce or the sale of such gas in interstate commerce for resale.
- (12) **Person—** The term “person” means an individual or [company](#4).
- (13) **Public utility—** The term “public utility” means any [person](#12) who owns or operates facilities used for transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce or sales of electric energy at wholesale in interstate commerce.
- (14) **Public-utility company—** The term “public-utility company” means an [electric utility company](#5) or a [gas utility company](#7).
- (15) **State commission—** The term “State commission” means any [commission](#3), board, [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), or officer, by whatever name designated, of a [State](/usc/42/15951.md?p=b-2), municipality, or other political subdivision of a [State](/usc/42/15951.md?p=b-2) that, under the laws of such [State](/usc/42/15951.md?p=b-2), has jurisdiction to regulate [public utility](#13) [companies](#4).
- (16) **Subsidiary company—** The term “subsidiary company” of a [holding company](#8-A) means—
  - (A) any [company](#4), 10 percent or more of the outstanding [voting securities](#17) of which are directly or indirectly owned, controlled, or held with power to vote, by such [holding company](#8-A); and
  - (B) any [person](#12), the management or policies of which the [Commission](#3), after notice and opportunity for hearing, determines to be subject to a controlling influence, directly or indirectly, by such [holding company](#8-A) (either alone or pursuant to an arrangement or understanding with one or more other [persons](#12)) so as to make it necessary for the rate protection of utility [customers](/usc/42/7275.md?p=5) with respect to rates that such [person](#12) be subject to the obligations, duties, and liabilities imposed by this part upon [subsidiary companies](#16) of [holding companies](#8-A).
- (17) **Voting security—** The term “voting security” means any security presently entitling the [owner](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) or holder thereof to vote in the direction or management of the affairs of a [company](#4).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–58, title XII, § 1262, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 972.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This part, referred to in text, was in the original “this subtitle”, meaning subtitle F (§§ 1261–1277) of title XII of Pub. L. 109–58, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 972, which enacted this part, amended sections 824 and 824m of Title 16, Conservation, repealed chapter 2C (§ 79 et seq.) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and section 825q of Title 16, and enacted provisions set out as notes under this section and section 15801 of this title. For complete classification of subtitle F to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 15801 of this title and Tables.

For the effective date of this part, referred to in par. (6), see Effective Date note set out below.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 109–58, title XII, § 1274, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 977, provided that: In General.—Except for section 1272 [42 U.S.C. 16460] (relating to implementation), this subtitle [subtitle F (§§ 1261 to 1277) of title XII of Pub. L. 109–58, enacting this part, amending sections 824 and 824m of Title 16, Conservation, repealing chapter 2C (§ 79 et seq.) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and section 825q of Title 16, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 15801 of this title] shall take effect 6 months after the date of enactment of this subtitle [Aug. 8, 2005]. Compliance With Certain Rules.—If the [Federal Energy Regulatory] Commission approves and makes effective any final rulemaking modifying the standards of conduct governing entities that own, operate, or control facilities for transmission of electricity in interstate commerce or transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce prior to the effective date of this subtitle, any action taken by a public-utility company or utility holding company to comply with the requirements of such rulemaking shall not subject such public-utility company or utility holding company to any regulatory requirement applicable to a holding company under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 (15 U.S.C. 79 et seq.).”

### Short Title

For short title of subtitle F of title XII of Pub. L. 109–58, which enacted this part, as the “Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005”, see section 1261 of Pub. L. 109–58, set out as a note under section 15801 of this title.