Dominion Restores Power To More Than
1 Million Customers
RICHMOND, Va. - Dominion has restored power to 1.1 million
of the total 1.8 million customers who lost electric service as a result of
Hurricane Isabel.
As of 10 a.m. Monday, about 758,000 remain without power in
the company's service area that stretches from the Outer Banks of North Carolina,
to Tidewater, Central and Northern Virginia - the exact area hit hardest by
Isabel. The company has now restored power to approximately 60 percent of its
customers affected by the hurricane.
Dominion's army of 9,700 employees, contractors, tree trimmers
and crews from 11 assisting utilities -- the largest restoration force in company
history -- continues working to restore service to the remaining transmission
and primary distribution circuits ravaged by uprooted trees or broken limbs,
torrential rains and high winds.
All hospitals that lost power because of the hurricane have
been restored. Crews restored power to 32 primary water-pumping stations in
the 30,000-square mile service area. The company is continuing to work with
municipalities to identify other public infrastructure - such as schools - which
need power.
Hurricane Isabel's devastating damage to Dominion's power
grid included:
62 of the company's 380 transmission lines - 1,600 miles
of high-voltage power lines. Crews restored 41 of them by Sunday, with the
last 21 lines due back in service early this week. On Sunday, Dominion fully
restored transmission service to those substations that supply power to electric
cooperatives.
About 1,150 of the company's 1,600 primary distribution
circuits - 72 percent. These power lines deliver electricity to lower voltage
circuits that go to homes and businesses. Primary circuits are the first circuits
restored after storms. Primary circuits must be repaired, inspected and reconnected
to the grid before homes and businesses can be served.
2,311 broken utility poles.
3,899 snapped crossarms.
7,363 spans of downed power lines.
The damage by region:
Region
Damaged Poles
Damaged Crossarms
Spans of Wire Down
Northern Virginia
163
216
790
Shenandoah Valley/Western Piedmont
49
138
312
Richmond/Tri-Cities
944
1,329
2,424
Southside Virginia
105
122
459
Gloucester/Northern Neck
112
89
614
Tidewater
457
1,060
1,455
North Carolina
481
945
1,319
Dominion remains concerned about customer safety, especially
from downed power lines and improper use of generators. Company officials note
that unless installed professionally, generators should not be connected to
the whole house electrical service. Improperly installed, the electricity could
backfeed onto Dominion's power lines and injure line crews. Report downed power
lines by calling 1-888-667-3000.
Dominion also called on customers to check on elderly relatives
and neighbors or others with special needs who may not have their power restored.
Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy,
with a diversified and integrated energy portfolio that includes 24,000 megawatts
of generation and 6.3 trillion cubic feet equivalent of proved natural gas reserves.
Dominion also serves 5 million retail energy customers in nine states. For more
information about Dominion, including dynamic updates on power restoration,
visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com.
