Dominion Virginia Power Provides $2 Million to Help Customers with Heating Costs

- Eligible individuals can receive up to $600 toward energy bill payments

- Applications now being accepted

- Nearly 13,000 families received assistance last year

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Oct 01, 2012, 09:00 ET

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Virginia Power is providing $2 million this winter to help Virginians in financial need pay part of their heating costs, bringing the company's 2012 contribution to its EnergyShare program to $4.5 million. Applications for heating assistance are now being accepted.

EnergyShare helps those experiencing a personal or family crisis heat their homes after all other forms of assistance have been exhausted. Payments go directly to the energy vendor on behalf of the recipient. Administering agencies help individuals determine if they are eligible for the program. For information on the nearest screening agency, call 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357).

"Virginians from all walks of life have benefitted from EnergyShare for more than 30 years," said Paul D. Koonce, chief executive officer of Dominion Virginia Power. "We encourage others to join our company, our employees and our community in helping those families who continue to struggle with difficult economic conditions." Last winter, nearly 13,000 families were able to stay warm and safe because of the generous donations of a caring community.

Those eligible can receive a one-time payment of up to $600 per heating season. Because Dominion and participating social service agencies pay all of the administrative costs, every dollar contributed to EnergyShare goes directly toward paying heating bills. The funds can be used for any type of heating source – oil, coal, wood, kerosene, natural gas or electricity.

To qualify for EnergyShare assistance, an individual must live in Dominion's service area and meet one of the following criteria:

Be in jeopardy of losing an important heat source;
Meet income-based eligibility requirements as determined by screening agencies;
Be unemployed; or
Demonstrate a personal or family crisis.

The program has raised more than $55 million and helped more than half-a-million families in its 31-year history. EnergyShare donations can be sent to P.O. Box 91717, Richmond, Va. 23291-9717. Contributions are tax-deductible in accordance with Internal Revenue Service regulations.

Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 28,000 megawatts of generation. Dominion operates the nation's largest natural gas storage system and serves retail energy customers in 15 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.

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SOURCE Dominion