RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy Virginia has made strong progress restoring power to around 330,000 of the nearly 400,000 customers affected by the damaging winter storm, as of 5p.m. Wednesday. Crews are continuing work overnight to restore customers, with some outage restorations extending into Thursday. Preparations are already underway for more inclement weather expected to move through parts of Virginia on Thursday night.

Almost 4,800 Dominion Energy crews, support staff and contractors are engaged in the restoration effort along with approximately 900 mutual aid workers from nine states. Areas around Charlottesville and Fredericksburg have been particularly affected by this event where damage is the most severe and road conditions are challenging and, in some cases, impassable. Crews will continue restoration around the clock until all customers have service restored.

Estimated restoration times have been populated on individual projects. The most up-to-date information is available at www.dominionenergy.com or on the Dominion Energy app.

Dominion Energy encourages customers to prepare now for the possibility of additional power outages from the next storm. Trees and limbs already weighed down by wet snow could see additional snowfall and cause more outages. Similar to preparations for Monday's storm, crews are prepared to safely and efficiently restore any customer outages should they occur. In addition, Dominion Energy is ensuring sufficient crews and resources will be available for continued restoration efforts from the incoming storm.

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"We appreciate customers' patience as our crews work to repair pockets of damage caused by fallen trees and power lines," said Charlene Whitfield, senior vice-president of Power Delivery at Dominion Energy Virginia. "The safety of our customers and crews is our number one priority, and we will continue to work around the clock until we have restored service to every customer."

The company encourages customers to watch the weather and prepare for any additional power outages. Learn about how customers can prepare.

To ensure the fastest response, Dominion Energy asks that customers report their power outages. The fastest way to report or track an outage is using the Dominion Energy app or online at DominionEnergy.com. Customers may also call 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357) to report an outage.

Here's how customers can stay safe:

• Beware of downed power lines and remember that they could be covered by snow. Assume they are energized and dangerous. Please remain at least 30 feet away and ensure that others also avoid the downed line. Virginia and North Carolina customers should call 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357) right away to report a downed power line.
• Ensure generators are properly connected. Be sure they are fueled, tested and connected in a well-ventilated area outdoors. Improper use of a generator could be life-threatening for customers and crews working to restore power.

About Dominion Energy
About 7 million customers in 13 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 to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

SOURCE Dominion Energy