RICHMOND, Va., June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hurricane season is underway and Dominion Energy urges customers to plan ahead and assemble an emergency storm kit.

"We care about our customers' safety and want to help them prepare for the possibility of severe weather," said Ed Baine, senior vice president of Electric Distribution. "We're doing our part to get ready and encourage customers to do the same."

In addition to having staff ready and stocking up on supplies, Dominion Energy uses technology to assist with a quick restoration if customers lose power. For example, we use drones, helicopters, and electronic collection tools to support our damage assessment efforts. We also expect that our investments in grid modernization and strategic undergrounding of wires will help improve our ability to respond to outages caused by major storms.

For the first time this hurricane season, we'll also send our rapid response vehicle to assist with a more efficient restoration in neighborhoods with the most severe damage.

Here's how you can prepare for severe weather:

• Create an emergency storm kit with water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries and cash.
• Sign up for text alerts to receive storm updates for your area.
• Bookmark Dominion Energy's outage map to stay up-to-date on restoration efforts during a storm.
• Fully charge your phone before the storm arrives.

If your power goes out, please report it right away at dominionenergy.com to assist with a faster restoration. You can also call 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357).

Safety is always our first priority. Here's how you can stay safe during storms:

• Beware of downed power lines. Assume they are energized and dangerous. Stay at least 30 feet away and call Dominion Energy immediately at 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357).
• Properly connect your generator. Ensure it is fueled and tested before the severe weather arrives. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and always operate outdoors with good ventilation.

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. The company expects to cut generating fleet carbon dioxide emissions 80 percent by 2050 and reduce methane emissions from its gas assets 50 percent by 2030. Please visit www.DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

SOURCE Dominion Energy