RICHMOND, Va., March 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Having restored nearly 80 percent of the more than 690,000 customers that lost service from the windstorm and with additional crew reinforcements now on the ground, Dominion Energy will have a vast majority of customers in Virginia restored by Monday, with completion expected by Tuesday. As of 5 p.m. Saturday, 145,000 customers remain out.

This storm was particularly damaging as it lasted so long – with our system experiencing significant winds more than 24 hours including gusts of over 70 mph. It ranks as one of the top five most damaging storms in the number of Dominion Energy customers impacted, topped only by hurricanes Floyd, Isabel and Irene, and the Super Derecho of 2012.

Northern Virginia and the Gloucester/Northern Neck area took the brunt of the impact with widespread significant tree, pole and wire damage. There was also moderate with pockets of significant damage in Central Virginia and Tidewater regions. In certain instances, crews had to stop work to take shelter until the wind gusts subsided.

Here is a breakdown of final restoration times by area:

• Tidewater – restoration complete by Sunday evening
• I-81 corridor - restoration complete by Sunday evening
• Southside Va. – restoration complete by Monday evening
• Charlottesville and Orange - restoration complete by Tuesday evening
• Metro Richmond - restoration complete by Tuesday evening
• Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg - restoration complete by Tuesday evening
• Gloucester/Northern Neck - restoration complete by Tuesday evening

As more progress is made, individual customer restoration times will be provided through the online outage map and the automated phone system.

A workforce of more than 3,900 restoration personnel are working as quickly as they can in conditions that are still somewhat hazardous due to breezy conditions. The storm knocked out power to 565 critical facilities, such as fire and police stations and hospitals. Crews have restored all but 58 of these facilities.

Customers are advised to beware of any lines that may have fallen or come into contact with trees, debris, or water. Stay at least 30 feet away from any downed power line and make sure your family, pets, and neighbors also avoid the downed wire. Call Dominion Energy right away at 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357) to speak with an agent to report the downed wire.

If your power goes out, please report it at DominionEnergy.com or call us at 1-866-DOM-HELP. The fastest way to report or track an outage is online at DominonEnergy.com using your phone or other mobile device.

About Dominion Energy

Dominion Energy is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 26,000 megawatts of electric generation, 14,800 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline, and 6,600 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion Energy operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems with approximately 1 trillion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves nearly 6 million utility and retail energy customers. For more information about Dominion Energy, visit the company's website at www.dominionenergy.com.

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SOURCE Dominion Energy