CLEVELAND, Jan. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of extreme cold weather returning the week of Jan. 26, Dominion East Ohio is asking its customers to voluntarily turn down their thermostats and lower the setting on their water heaters if they can do so safely, and for businesses to reduce the use of natural gas for manufacturing or processing if practicable. Such conservation efforts throughout the coming week will help keep down bills and keep natural gas supplies flowing to all Dominion customers.

"Dominion was able to serve its customers reliably during the extreme cold earlier this month, in part, because many customers took steps to conserve their natural gas use," said Scott Miller, Dominion East Ohio vice president and general manager. "Dominion anticipates being able to provide reliable service again for the upcoming cold weather, but we also ask customers to conserve where they can do so safely."

The company recommends that customers consider using other conservation techniques to maintain comfort and safety, such as saving energy by weather-stripping homes and insulating doors and windows. Customers also can block off drafts at the bottoms of doors with a rolled-up throw rug or towel. More conservations suggestions can be found at www.dom.com/storm-center/winter-weather-tips.jsp.

Safety/Emergency Service: Dominion East Ohio provides 24-hour emergency service every day. Dominion considers it an emergency if customers smell an odor of gas or if none of their natural gas appliances are working. If customers smell a natural gas odor inside a house or building, they should leave the premises immediately and call Dominion East Ohio's 24-hour emergency service from a neighbor's house, toll-free, at 1-877-542-2630. Customers should also call Dominion if they experience any service interruptions; however, in the event of an electric power outage, natural gas appliances may not work.

Energy Assistance: Colder weather can lead to higher natural gas bills. Dominion East Ohio strongly urges customers who believe they will not be able to maintain regular payments or service to contact the company immediately, at 1-800-362-7557 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays, to inquire about energy assistance programs and payment options.

Sufficient, Reliable Energy Supplies: Dominion East Ohio is served by multiple interstate pipelines and has the benefit of Ohio natural gas production and underground gas storage that will play a key role in maintaining gas deliveries to customers over the upcoming extreme cold weather period. As with any gas utility system, there may be isolated areas where the company may experience lower operating pressures, and we are prepared to address such situations if they arise.

Dominion East Ohio is a unit of Dominion (NYSE: D), one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 23,500 megawatts of generation, 11,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline and 6,400 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems, with 947 billion cubic feet of storage capacity, and serves retail energy customers in 15 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.

SOURCE Dominion East Ohio