Almost 80,000 Sign Up For Dominion's Energy Choice Pilots

-Programs To Boost Competition Exceed Volunteer Expectations

January 8, 2004

RICHMOND, Va. - Dominion Virginia Power residential and business customers have been aggressively signing up for two new State Corporation Commission-approved energy choice pilot programs that are designed to save them money and boost competition in Virginia.

As of Jan. 8, 77,491 customers — 69,317 residential, 8,104 businesses and 70 churches — have volunteered to be part of a buying group selected to receive an offer from an alternative supplier as part of the company's competitive bid supply service pilot. The majority of the volunteers signed up within a 45-day period starting in late November.

"What this shows is clear, broad-based support and a desire for energy choice among our Virginia customers," said David F. Koogler, director of regulation and competition. "Consumers, both residential and business, want and deserve choices for various goods and services and electricity supply should be no different."

By region, the total number of residential and business customer volunteers are:

Central/Western Virginia 20,984 residential 2,898 business
Eastern Virginia 22,727 residential 2,445 business
Northern Virginia 25,606 residential 2,761 business

Selected volunteers will be placed in a buying group with about 14,000 other customers in their geographic area. The SCC will oversee a competitive bid process to select the lowest cost supplier to provide electricity to each group. The pilots will continue until July 1, 2007.

Another 1,970 larger, non-residential customers located throughout the service area have volunteered to participate in the commercial and industrial pilot. A December lottery determined the 201 participants in the pilot program.

Regardless of which company supplies the power, Dominion will still deliver it to the customer and maintain wires, poles and equipment. Any time during the pilot, customers can return to Dominion for electricity supply service at their current rate, which is capped until July 1, 2007. Dominion expects the program to provide valuable experience for customers, suppliers, utilities and regulators as Virginia continues to develop a competitive electricity marketplace.

Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy with an energy portfolio of more than 24,000 megawatts of generation. Dominion also serves 5.3 million retail energy customers in nine states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com.

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David Botkins, 804-771-6115