RICHMOND VA: (Rocktown Now) – Dominion Energy is bracing for what it calls a “severe” winter storm expected to bring heavy snow, significant ice accumulation, and widespread power outages across Virginia and northeastern North Carolina from Sunday afternoon into early Monday.
The utility says the combination of snow and more than a quarter‑inch of ice could cause extensive damage to trees, power lines, and poles—leading to a restoration effort that may stretch across several days. Travel conditions are also expected to deteriorate, slowing access to damaged areas.
To prepare, Dominion has mobilized nearly 8,000 employees, contractors, and support personnel. The company has spent several days securing additional crews, including teams from peer utilities in other states, and says it will continue to bring in more resources as needed.
Crews plan to work around the clock once outages begin, but Dominion cautions customers to expect a gradual restoration process. Some locations may be inaccessible for 24–48 hours due to icy roads or fallen trees. In hard‑to‑reach areas, drones may be deployed to assess damage.
Priority will be given to restoring power for hospitals, schools, water treatment facilities, and other essential services, as well as regions with the highest number of outages. Dominion says it is coordinating closely with state and local emergency management officials to ensure road‑clearing resources are available.
The areas most at risk include Central and Southside Virginia, parts of Northern Virginia, and inland sections of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.
While snow is expected to begin Saturday evening and transition to freezing rain Sunday morning, Dominion does not anticipate major outages until later Sunday afternoon, once several hours of accumulation have occurred.
After the storm, the region will face several days of extreme cold. Dominion says its system is prepared for increased demand, noting that equipment inspections, facility tests, and planned maintenance have already been completed. The company is also coordinating with PJM, the regional grid operator.
Customer Preparedness Tips
Dominion Energy is urging customers to take steps now to prepare for potential outages:
- Use the Dominion Energy app to report outages and track restoration progress. Customers can also report issues via the company’s website or by calling 866‑DOM‑HELP.
- Stay far away from downed power lines—at least 30 feet—and report them immediately.
- Fully charge phones, laptops, and other devices before the storm arrives; consider having portable chargers on hand.
- Ensure generators are fueled, tested, and properly connected, and always operate them outdoors with adequate ventilation.
- Stock up on bottled water, non‑perishable food, flashlights, batteries, medications, and other emergency supplies.
