Electric News Releases

June 20, 2000

Virginia Power Offers Tips to Weather Summer Storms

RICHMOND, Va. -- The summer storm season has arrived in force in the Old Dominion. Virginia Power is urging customers to take precautions and be prepared for severe weather.

"Severe summer weather – from frequent afternoon thunderstorms to infrequent hurricanes – can cause power outages," said Edgar M. Roach Jr., chief executive officer. "While we make every effort to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible, customers can take steps to increase their safety and comfort in the event of a service disruption."

During June 12-19, dozens of thunderstorms rolled across the company's service area, leaving more than 200,000 customers without power. One overnight storm affected 70,000 customers, and company crews worked through the night to get power restored to almost all customers by 7 a.m. the next morning.

"That is a fairly typical summer storm pattern," Roach said. "We are ready and prepared to send our crews out, but sometimes summer outages can last several hours or – in the event of major, violent storms – several days. Customers need to be prepared."

The first thing customers should do in the event of an outage is call Virginia Power's Customer Service Center at, toll-free, 1-888-667-3000. The company's outage reporting system, which consists of operators as well as a computer-powered voice response unit, can handle 100,000 calls an hour.

Virginia Power also offers the following advice to help customers prepare for a power outage caused by a thunderstorm:

• Listen to weather reports.
• Make sure there are fresh batteries for flashlights and radios.
• Fill prescription medicines that are nearly empty.
• Have an emergency supply of bottled water, canned foods with a manual can opener, and foods that do not have to be heated.
• Have a good first-aid kit.

In the event of an outage, the company recommends:

• Stay away from all downed power lines. Report them immediately to the company at 1-888-667-3000.
• Turn off all major appliances to help prevent an overload when the power is restored. Leave one light on to signal you when the power comes back.
• Be extremely cautious with candles, gas lanterns and gas cooking stoves.
• Avoid opening refrigerators and freezers to help delay thawing and spoiling.
• Use ice and coolers to keep perishables such as, milk, eggs, and vegetables cold.
• Cook outdoors on grills and camp stoves to avoid increasing the temperature in the house.
• Close all storm windows and curtains during the daytime to keep your house cooler. Open them in the evening when temperatures have dropped.

Virginia Power is a subsidiary of Dominion (NYSE: D), the nation's largest fully integrated natural gas and electric company, providing energy to more than 4 million customers in five states. More information on Dominion can be found on the Internet at www.dom.com.

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