PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) today presented Dominion Virginia Power with the association's "Emergency Recovery Award" for its outstanding power restoration efforts after Hurricane Matthew hit the Southeast in October 2016.

The award is presented twice annually to EEI member companies to recognize their extraordinary efforts to restore power to customers after service disruptions caused by severe weather conditions or other natural events. The winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the awards were presented during the winter EEI Board of Directors and CEO Meeting.

On October 8, 2016, Hurricane Matthew brought high winds and torrential rain to parts of North Carolina and Virginia. Dominion Virginia Power restored service to 70 percent of affected customers in the region by the morning of October 10, and all customers by October 13. The company's crews dedicated 113,704 hours to this recovery work.

"The tireless work by Dominion Virginia Power crews to restore service following Hurricane Matthew exemplifies our industry's commitment to customer service and safety," said EEI President Tom Kuhn. "The courageous and dedicated Dominion Virginia Power crews who faced dangerous conditions in the wake of this storm are greatly deserving of this terrific recognition."

"Hurricane Matthew was a very powerful storm that caused significant power outages across our service territory," said Robert M. Blue, CEO and President of Dominion Virginia Power. "Matthew ended up being in the top 10 storms we have faced in our company history. The restoration was a tremendous team effort by everyone at Dominion. We are especially grateful for the outside assistance we received from other electric companies and to our customers for their patience and support during the event."  

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for 220 million Americans, operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and directly and indirectly employ more than one million workers. EEI has dozens of international electric companies as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members. 

SOURCE Dominion Virginia Power