- Customers can designate a person or party to be notified if bill becomes past due
- Notification helps prevent avoidable disconnection of electric service
- Dominion offers gift certificates, other ways to help those affected by recession
RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Because Dominion (NYSE: D) recognizes that today's severe economic downturn is causing families to make difficult decisions that require new money-management practices, the company is reminding its customers that several programs are available to assist them in managing their electricity bills.
"Dominion wants to help customers who are facing hardships during the current economic slump," said Gianna C. Clark, vice president of customer service operations for Dominion. "We strongly encourage customers who are having difficulties paying their bills to contact us so that we can work together to find a solution."
Dominion's Third-Party Notification Program allows customers to designate a relative, clergy member, social service agency or friend to be notified in the event that electric service is in danger of being disconnected for nonpayment. This allows both the customer and the designated third party to receive notification of any past-due amount owed and the due date for that amount.
The designated third parties are not obligated to pay the bill, nor do they have any liability for the account. The third party can, however, assist the customer with arrangements to ensure the electric service continues without interruption.
There is no charge for using the service. A Third-Party Notice Request form, which must be completed by the customer to initiate the service, is available by contacting Dominion's Customer Service Center at 1-888-667-3000 or online at www.dom.com keyword "third party."
Dominion also offers gift certificates in denominations of $10, $25, $50, $75, $100 and $250. A gift of energy can help a customer who is having difficulty making a Dominion bill payment. Gift certificates can be personalized to include the giver's name or be sent anonymously, and they have no expiration date.
Anyone can buy a gift certificate, but they can be redeemed only by a Dominion customer. All customers need to do is include the gift certificate with their regular payment. Information is available by calling 1-877-770-GIFT (4438) and at Dominion's Web site, www.dom.com keyword "gift certificate."
The winter heating season, coupled with the current recession, has placed many Dominion customers in difficult financial situations. Dominion offers several options to help customers who have missed one or more payments.
Customers who are behind in their bill payment are encouraged to obtain information on these options by calling Dominion Customer Service at 1-888-667-3000 or by visiting Dominion's Web site at www.dom.com and searching for keyword "billhelp."
Heating costs can account for 25 percent to 50 percent of a home's total energy expense. Efficiency experts offer these tips to control heating costs:
- If you have a forced-air heating system, clean or replace the filter monthly and keep heat vents open and unobstructed by furniture.
- Make sure all ductwork is sealed at joints and intersections with duct sealer or silicone caulk.
- Set thermostats at 68 degrees or the lowest temperature at which you are comfortable. For every degree you lower the setting, you will experience a savings of up to 3 percent in energy costs.
Dominion Virginia Power also provides customers with 10 online video clips showing ways to help them stay warm, save money and conserve energy. The video clips are available on Dominion's Web site at: http://www.dom.com/customer/efficiency/res/ten.jsp.
Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 27,000 megawatts of generation. Dominion serves retail energy customers in 12 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at http://www.dom.com .
