RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 21, 2010 – Dominion Virginia Power, a subsidiary of Dominion Resources, announced today it is donating more than $1 million to support an array of diversity projects in Virginia. (View the list at: http://www.dom.com/about/community/pdf/diversity_grants_jan_2010.pdf).

“Dominion values communities and the diversity that lies within them,” said Paul D. Koonce, chief executive officer of Dominion Virginia Power. “The organizations receiving funding were carefully selected because of their potential benefits not only to our customers and employees, but also to the success of the communities we serve.”

Dominion is making the grant through the Dominion Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm. The grants are funded by shareholder dollars and are not borne by customers.

The $1 million in grants supports creative- and assistance-driven diversity projects in the fields of education, culture, history and health. Likewise, Dominion last year gave more than $1 million each to health clinics and food banks in 14 states in which it does business.

Of the dozens of charitable organizations receiving funding from the Dominion Foundation, three projects in particular are noted because of their historical significance to Virginia:

• Robert Russa Moton Museum in Farmville is producing a documentary that marks the 60th anniversary of the 1951 student-led walkout that protested unequal education facilities for African Americans. The Moton Museum occupies the historical school where the walkout occurred. The event played a major role in the American Civil Rights movement and became part of the Brown vs. the Board of Education lawsuit. The film will be shown to museum visitors.
   
• Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Foundation will recognize the 150th anniversary of the Civil War by developing and implementing educational programs that promote a balanced account of Virginia’s role in that war. Dominion will sponsor the Sept. 24 “Race, Slavery and the Civil War: The Tough Stuff of American History” conference at Norfolk State University. The 2010 conference is the second of seven annual programs examining different aspects of the war and its legacy.
   
• CenterStage in Richmond will mark the 50th anniversary of the Thalhimer Lunch Counter Sit-In, an event in which Virginia Union University students staged a protest against segregation. CenterStage, part of the property where the historic event took place, is creating a commemoration to reflect on the sit-in and celebrate the progress made in society as a result. Educational forums and diversity events are planned that will include area schools and universities.

Dominion, its charitable foundation and employees invested more than $20 million and 120,000 volunteer hours in 2009 in support programs that help improve the quality of life for people in the states in which Dominion operates power stations, natural gas and other energy facilities.

Grant focus areas included preservation of natural and historic resources, work force development and education, diversity initiatives, neighborhood and community development, and meeting basic needs for food, health and shelter.

Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy, with a portfolio of more than 27,400 megawatts of generation. Dominion serves retail energy customers in 12 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com.

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Editors note: Video clips to accompany this news release will be available at: http://www.dom.com/about/media-downloads.jsp.

Media Contact: Daisy Pridgen (804) 771-6115, Daisy.Pridgen@dom.com