Raleigh, N.C. —Dominion Energy crews are on the scene of an explosion that occurred this morning at 115 N. Duke Street in Durham after a contractor doing excavation work dug into a natural gas pipeline. The contractor was not a Dominion Energy employee nor was the contractor working on behalf of Dominion Energy. Crews are inspecting the company’s natural gas facilities to ensure public safety. The company is coordinating with the City of Durham and fire department officials to determine when we can safely restore service to impacted customers and facilities.

The incident interrupted service to 19 active meters.  

Local Durham officials reported multiple injuries, including one PSNC Energy employee who was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

“We are deeply saddened by today’s tragedy,” said CEO of Dominion Energy’s Southeast Energy Group Rodney Blevins. “Our thoughts, prayers and sympathy are with the families of those who were injured and the deceased. Our focus now is working in cooperation with local agencies to ensure the area is safe for residents to return.”

“In responding to any situation where the integrity of our infrastructure has been compromised, our first priority is always safety.  Our response plan is directed toward public safety first,” Blevins said.

Specialized teams respond to gas leaks. In general, they immediately respond to the scene, shut off the supply of gas to the location, then begin the process of repairing any damage.  Repairs follow after the appropriate safety-related actions have been completed.

About PSNC Energy
Headquartered in Gastonia, N.C., PSNC Energy, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dominion Energy. The regulated public utility is franchised to serve a 28-county service area in North Carolina. The utility distributes natural gas to more than 581,000 customers in 96 cities and communities, including the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill areas in the north central part of the state; the Concord, Statesville, Gastonia, and Forest City areas in the Piedmont; and the Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard, and Sylva areas in the western part of the state. More information about PSNC Energy is available at psncenergy.com, Twitter and Facebook.

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 nearly $35 million in 2018 to community causes. Please visit  www.DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

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