RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy is prepared for significant impacts to customers from Hurricane Dorian, beginning in South Carolina and spreading into North Carolina and Virginia. Customers in all three states are urged to prepare now for a slow-moving hurricane that could bring dangerous conditions and widespread outages, including high winds and flooding. We are urging customers to be prepared for a multi-day outage event.

Crews and materials are staging ahead of the storm to be ready to assess damage and restore power as soon as weather conditions are safe. After the storm passes and it is safe to do so, our crews will begin assessing damage and restoring power beginning with facilities critical to public health and safety, such as hospitals, fire and police departments, and water treatment systems. Crews then work to return service to the largest number of residential and business customers in the shortest amount of time. Once major repairs are completed, individual homes and smaller groups of customers are restored.

To prepare for the storm:

• Set up an online account to easily report and track power outages from any mobile device.
• Bookmark our website on your mobile device to quickly report outages:
  • North Carolina and Virginia customers should report outages at www.dominionenergy.com/outage-center/report-and-check-outages.
  • South Carolina customers should report outages at www.DominionEnergySC.com 
• Assemble or "refresh" your emergency prep kit to include:
  • Batteries and flashlights/lanterns
  • Bottled water (1 gallon per person, per day)
  • Cash (power outages could affect ATMs)
  • Non-perishable food
  • First-aid kit, medications and hygiene items
• If you have a generator, be sure it is fueled, tested and properly connected. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and always operate out of doors with good ventilation.

If you do experience an outage:

• Always report your outage.
  • North Carolina and Virginia customers can report outages by visiting www.dominionenergy.com/outage-center/report-and-check-outages or calling 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357).
  • South Carolina customers can report outages at www.DominionEnergySC.com or by calling 1-888-333-4465.
• Turn off all appliances, except one light to prevent overload when power comes back on.
• Be careful to avoid downed power lines, which may be energized and deadly. Remember that downed wires can be hidden under fallen trees or branches or under flooded streets or yards. Stay at least 30 feet away and make sure your family, pets, and neighbors avoid downed wires. Please report downed power lines at the following numbers and stay on the line to speak with a customer service representative so we can help make the area safe:
  • North Carolina and Virginia customers can report downed lines at 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357).
  • South Carolina customers can report downed lines at 1-888-333-4465.

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