RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) has awarded Dominion Energy with the Association's "Emergency Recovery Award" for its outstanding power restoration efforts after Tropical Storm Michael caused more than 630,000 outages in the Dominion Energy service territory in October 2018.

Dominion Energy crews restored service to 100 percent of impacted customers within five days after the storm, dedicating some 290,000 man-hours to the recovery. Tropical Storm Michael was the sixth-largest storm event in Dominion Energy's history.

"It is an honor for us to accept this Emergency Recovery Award from EEI and we are grateful to be recognized for our efforts," said Ed Baine, senior vice president-Electric Distribution. "We earned this award through the valiant efforts of our dedicated employees and contractors, who worked safely and efficiently around the clock to restore power to our customers affected by Tropical Storm Michael."

The award is given to select EEI member companies to recognize their extraordinary efforts to restore power to customers after service outages caused by severe weather conditions or other natural events. The winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the award was presented during EEI's January 10 Winter Board and Chief Executives Meeting in Palm Beach, Fla. This marks Dominion Energy's 11th response award from the EEI.

Hurricane Michael, the strongest storm to make landfall during the 2018 hurricane season, was a Category 4 hurricane with peak winds of 155 mph. The storm hit Mexico Beach, Fla. on October 10, before being downgraded to a tropical storm and traveling northeast through Georgia and several Mid-Atlantic states, impacting Dominion Energy customers in Virginia and North Carolina.

"The dedication of Dominion Energy's crews to restore service throughout Virginia after Tropical Storm Michael illustrates our industry's commitment to customers," said EEI President Tom Kuhn. "Dominion Energy's crews worked tirelessly in hazardous conditions to quickly and safely restore power. They are truly deserving of this award."

About Dominion Energy

Nearly 7.5 million customers in 18 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable, and safe energy and is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy with about $100 billion of assets providing electric generation, transmission and distribution, as well as natural gas storage, transmission, distribution, and import/export services. As one of the nation's leading solar operators, the company intends to reduce its carbon intensity 60 percent by 2030. Through its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, as well as EnergyShare and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed more than $34 million in 2018 to community causes throughout its footprint and beyond. Please visit www.DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

SOURCE Dominion Energy