Gas News Release

December 13, 2000

Dominion Hope Rates to Stay Low

• Customers Will Save $20-Million This Heating Season

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. – While natural gas consumers in other states are experiencing dramatic increases in their monthly bills, Dominion Hope customers’ rates will remain low this winter. The rates are due to an innovative program that the Public Service Commission of West Virginia and Dominion Hope developed in 1998, freezing then-current gas costs until the end of 2001.

“Dominion applauds the Public Service Commission of West Virginia for implementing a rate structure that is certainly consumer focused, but also allows the participating companies to realize a fair return on their investment,” stated Edgar M. Roach, Jr., chief executive officer of Dominion Hope. “In addition to the low rates, the program has allowed Dominion Hope to obtain sufficient supplies for the winter ahead.”

Since Dominion Hope customers are paying less than the current prevailing rate for natural gas, they will save approximately $20 million during the 2000-2001 heating season. That’s an average savings of $174 for each of Dominion Hope’s nearly 115,000 customers.

Although today’s higher natural gas prices currently are not affecting Dominion Hope consumers, that may change when the current rate freeze ends on December 31, 2001. In March 2001, Dominion Hope may need to apply to the Public Service Commission of West Virginia for a new rate structure to take effect on January 1, 2002. If natural gas prices remain at or near current levels, Dominion Hope may need to raise its rates in order to acquire adequate supplies of natural gas at market prices to meet customers’ needs.

Although supplies currently are adequate, Dominion Hope encourages customers to conserve energy. For example, customers can make sure furnaces and other gas appliances are clean and in good working order. They also can replace old water heaters and furnaces with more-efficient modern ones and make sure their homes are well insulated.

If you have difficulty paying your gas bill, assistance is available. Arrangement can be made for budget or special payment plans. Also, government aid is available through the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) and through the Salvation Army’s Heat Fund. For additional information about these programs, contact Dominion Hope’s Customer Relations personnel at 1-800-400-9276.

Dominion, headquartered in Richmond, Va., is one of the nation’s largest producers of energy, with a production capability of 2.7 trillion British Thermal Units (BTUs) of energy per day. The company has a power generation portfolio of more than 19,000 megawatts, which is expected to grow to more than 28,000 megawatts by 2005. Dominion has 7,600 miles of interstate natural gas pipeline with more than 650 billion cubic feet of annual natural gas throughput. Dominion also serves 3.8 million retail natural gas and electric customers. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's web site at www.dom.com.