RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cold weather can bring discomfort and worry about higher winter bills, but Dominion Virginia Power is working hard to help customers stay warm this winter by providing energy education, flexible payment options, and energy assistance.

"Electricity is essential to all of us—especially when it's cold outside," said Charlene Whitfield, vice president of Customer Service at Dominion. "We tend to use more electricity in the winter to stay comfortable and that can lead to higher than expected bills, which some customers might struggle to pay. Contact us at the first sign of trouble, so we can explore every possible option to keep your account current and your service connected."

Customers can prevent higher-than-expected bills by reducing energy waste:

• Seal up air leaks around doors and windows, have your heat pump tuned up, change furnace air filters and replace incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs. More efficiency tips can be found here and links to energy efficiency rebates can be found here.
• Customers are encouraged to call 1-888-366-8280 to determine eligibility for no-cost weatherization services.
• One-on-one educational outreach is available to all customers at Dominion's local EnergyShare demonstration events. For more information, visit our events page here.  

Budget Billing is also recommended as a convenient option to avoid seasonal fluctuations in bills. The amount you pay on your electric bill will be the same every month, making budgeting easier.

If customers are having trouble paying their bill:

• Get in touch with us right away.
  Call us at 1-866-366-4357 or go online to your account at the first sign of a high bill. Flexible payment plans can help spread payments out and make them more manageable.
• If payment arrangements aren't enough and you're unable to pay your bill, find out whether you qualify for energy assistance.
  Call us to obtain a referral for crisis assistance or a local EnergyShare agency.
  Payment assistance is available for customers experiencing a hardship.

Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 25,700 megawatts of generation, 12,200 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline, and 6,500 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems with 933 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves more than 5 million utility and retail energy customers in 14 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.

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SOURCE Dominion Virginia Power