Businesses Aggressively Signing Up For Energy Choice

-Commercial & Industrial Lottery Selection Dec. 15

December 2, 2003

RICHMOND, Va. - Business and industrial customers within Dominion Virginia Power's service area are aggressively signing up for the company's new pilot program that is designed to make it easier for them both to obtain power from competitive suppliers and save money.

"This pilot currently has more volunteers than open slots so we will be conducting a lottery to select the participants on Dec. 15, said Jay L. Johnson, president and chief executive officer. "I encourage all large commercial and industrial customers who qualify for this program to sign up. The lottery process will determine who gets the first chance to purchase electricity as part of the pilot program from someone other than Dominion Virginia Power."

Dominion will continue to take volunteers for the commercial and industrial pilot, which is one of three approved in September 2003 by the Virginia State Corporation Commission. Those customers can sign up at the company's Web site, www.dom.com, or by calling toll-free 1-888-667-3000.

This pilot program is limited to 200 megawatts. Already 734 customer accounts with a total electrical demand of 635 megawatts have signed to participate, making a lottery necessary. Participants from anywhere in Dominion's Virginia service area can shop for and secure their deals for electricity from competitive suppliers. Two other retail access pilot programs will be introduced, making up to 300 megawatts of load from a variety of customer classes available to competitive service providers.

Regardless of which company supplies a participant's electricity, Dominion Virginia Power will still deliver it to the customer and maintain all wires, poles and equipment. Any time during the pilot customers can return to Dominion Virginia Power 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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