RICHMOND, Va. – Dominion Virginia Power is prepared to respond to a heavy snowfall forecasted to move through western and northwestern Virginia beginning Sunday afternoon. Additional crews are being sent to the areas expected to be most affected, trucks are stocked and fueled, and preparations are being made to activate the company’s three regional storm response centers and corporate emergency center to support outage restoration.

Dominion expects heavy, wet snow to move from southwest to northeast, which could knock trees and limbs onto power lines and create outages. Eastern and central Virginia, including Richmond, are not expected to feel a major impact from the storm. The exact timing and strength of the storm may vary.

Customers should call 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357) to report downed wires or outages and not count on their neighbors to report them. Stay away from fallen wires and debris. Treat all fallen wires and anything touching them as though they are energized. Customers also can report and check the status of power outages using the company’s website at www.dom.com via computer, smartphone or other mobile device.

The company will update its website, www.dom.com, with information about the storm as it becomes available. A Twitter feed www.twitter.com/DomVAPower  and Facebook page www.facebook.com/dominionvirginiapower also are available. See how Dominion prepares for severe storms and outage restoration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S51-6cW7uCE.

Dominion urges its customers to pay attention to weather reports and to take these common-sense steps to prepare for possible outages:

Before the storm:

• Make sure you have a battery-operated radio, multiple flashlights, a battery-operated clock, and extra batteries.
• Turn off and unplug any non-essential electrical equipment in your home.
• Post a list of contents on your freezer door to minimize the number of times you open it.
• Make sure all prescription medications are filled.
• Have a full tank of gas in your car.
• If you have pets, please make sure you have provided for them as well.

If severe weather is expected, take these steps to prepare for possible outages:

During the storm, if electricity is interrupted:

• Turn off major appliances such as heat pumps, water heaters and stoves. Unplug other appliances such as TVs, stereos, microwaves and computers. This will prevent damage to appliances and possible overloads to the company's system when power is restored.
• Leave one lamp or light on so you will be able to recognize when power is restored.
• If using portable or camp-type stoves or lanterns for cooking and lighting, ensure that the area is adequately ventilated.

After the storm:

• Listen to your local radio station on your car or battery-powered radio for regular news and weather updates. Customers should call 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357) to report outages and not count on their neighbors to report them. Customers also can report and check the status of power outages using the company’s website at www.dom.com via computer, smartphone or other mobile device.
• Stay away from fallen wires and debris. Treat all fallen wires and anything touching them as though they are energized.
• Follow safe operating procedures for generators. Never operate one inside your home or in an enclosed space, such as a garage.
• Do not connect portable generators directly to the electrical system of your home. Electricity could flow backward onto Dominion's power lines and endanger lives. Either have a qualified electrician perform the work or plug appliances directly into the generator using the proper-sized extension cords.
• Exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide and can be deadly, so run your generator outside with proper ventilation. Store the fuel for your generator safely.
• Visually inspect the area around your electric meter. If you detect or suspect any damage, call us at 1-866-DOM-HELP.

Dominion (NYSE: D) is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 27,500 megawatts of generation. Dominion operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems and serves retail energy customers in 15 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.