Dominion Energy Ohio Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (Updated November 23, 2020)

Q: This year, many Dominion Energy Ohio customers continue to cope with the effects of unemployment and other economic dislocations resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and related shutdowns. What can such customers do if they know they’ll have trouble paying their natural gas bills? A: If customers know they will have difficulty paying their Dominion Energy bills, we urge them to contact the company directly, at 1-800-362-7557. We’re here to help them find the best option for their unique situation.

Q: What Dominion Energy Ohio payment plans are available for customers facing financial hardship? A: If customers are having trouble paying their bills, the company offers both short-term payment extensions and long-term payment plans to help residential and commercial customers manage their balances and catch up over time. Customers may qualify for one of several Dominion Energy or State of Ohio programs. Dominion offerings include:

• Budget Billing allows customers to pay a fixed budget amount each month, based on annual gas usage. Dominion Energy Ohio periodically reviews the budget amount and adjusts it, if necessary, so that the customer will not have a high balance or large credit at the end of the budget year. Customers should call the company for more information. • Budget Plus: The company offers additional flexibility for customers who enroll in our Budget Plus payment plan. Under Budget Plus, we are now allowing customers to pay their budget payment, plus an amount against their past-due balance over a maximum of 12 months. Previously, the length was limited to nine months. Please contact us to discuss whether additional payment options may be available. • Current-Plus Plan: Customers with a past-due balance can pay their current monthly bill, plus an installment of the total account balance at the time they enroll in the plan that spreads the balance over multiple months. • The One-Ninth Plan allows customers to pay one-ninth of their total account balance each month plus a calculated budget amount. • Under the One-Third Winter Heating Plan, customers pay one-third of their total account balance each month for bills that include gas used from November 1, 2020, through April 15, 2021. • Short-Term Extension grants up to five additional days to pay before the next bill date.

Q: Dominion Energy Ohio still offering its EnergyShare assistance program? A:Yes, Dominion Energy offers direct help through EnergyShare, our program for those facing financial hardships, who have exhausted all other forms of energy assistance. In fact, the company has increased its financial support of EnergyShare during the ongoing pandemic response.

The Salvation Army administers the program throughout our entire service area. EnergyShare is funded with company contributions and supplemented with donations from customers and employees. To meet continuing customer needs during the pandemic and for the upcoming winter season, the company has added $750,000 to the program, on top of its usual $230,000 annual contribution and an additional donation of $150,000 made this year.

Q: What other important program details customers should know about EnergyShare? A: Here are other important EnergyShare details: • Participants must be Dominion Energy Ohio residential customers. • To qualify, a customer’s yearly gross household income must be at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Those income levels are $38,280 for one person; $51,720 for two people; $65,160 for three; $78,600 for four; $92,040 for five; $105,480 for six; $118,920 for seven; and $132,360 for eight. Add $13,440 for each additional person. • Customers may contact the Salvation Army for more information or see if they qualify at: https://easternusa.salvationarmy.org/.

Q: What government energy assistance programs are available for customers who may need them? A: Government Assistance Programs: The following programs are available for income-eligible customers. Customers can apply for all programs with one application at www.energyhelp.ohio.gov, which provides income guidelines as well. Applications also are available at libraries, some banks and your local home energy assistance provider, or by calling the Ohio Development Services Agency at 1-800-282-0880. Hearing-impaired customers with Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf can call 711.

• Percentage of Income Payment Plan Plus (PIPP Plus): To qualify for this special payment plan, developed by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, a customer’s yearly gross household income can be up to 150 percent of federal poverty guidelines.

Under PIPP Plus, participating customers may maintain their natural gas service by paying 6 percent of their total gross monthly household income, or $10, whichever is greater.

PIPP Plus has special benefits for participating customers. Each time customers make their required PIPP Plus monthly payments in full by the due date, Dominion Energy Ohio will credit their accounts for the rest of that month’s current charges, plus a one- twenty-fourth credit toward their prior account balances. After 24 months of on-time and in-full PIPP Plus payments, their accounts will become current.

The new PIPP Plus maximum yearly household gross income levels for the 2020-2021 program year are: $19,140 for one person; $25,860 for two people; $32,580 for three; $39,300 for four; $46,020 for five; $52,740 for six; $59,460 for seven; and $66,180 for eight. Add $6,720 for each additional person.

• Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) provides a one-time heating bill credit during the winter heating season. HEAP is available to customers whose yearly gross household income is up to 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

• The Winter Crisis Program (WCP), previously known as Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (E-HEAP), provides a one-time grant to help avoid a shutoff or to restore service once between November 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. E-HEAP and WCP are available to customers whose yearly gross income is up to 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Local community action agencies can assist with emergency payments to help avoid disconnection. You can find available resources in your community -- dial 2-1-1 or visit http://ouw.org/211-map/.

Q: Has the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio issued its annual Winter Reconnection Order to help customers in need? The company also reminds customers of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio’s annual Winter Reconnection Order, which took effect October 5, earlier than usual. All residential customers, regardless of income, may avoid a shutoff or restore gas service once during the heating season, now through April 15, 2021 by paying the lesser of: o the entire past-due balance on your gas bill; o the past-due payments if you are on a special payment plan; o or $175.

If service has been disconnected, a reconnect fee of $33, plus applicable taxes, will be billed to the account. Customers will be enrolled automatically in the One-Ninth Payment Plan when using the Winter Reconnection Order to help pay off any additional past-due balances. Customers may select a different plan by calling Dominion Energy Ohio.

Q: Does Dominion Energy provide any weatherization assistance programs for customers? A: Here is information on available various company and government weatherization and conservation programs:

• Dominion Energy Ohio’s Housewarming Program provides weatherization assistance to help income-eligible customers reduce their energy usage. For information, call CHN Housing Partners (formerly Cleveland Housing Network), at 216-325-1149, or go to https://chnhousingpartners.org/housing-and-community-services/home-energy-efficiency- services/.

• Energy Ohio’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) Program through CLEAResult has been designed to help our residential customers improve their homes’ energy efficiency. It all starts with a home energy assessment, now available for $25, which is a 50 percent discount through October 31. Whether customers are making energy-efficient improvements to their current home or recently purchased a new home, they can benefit from having a home energy assessment. Rebates up to $1,250 are available for eligible improvements. Customers may call 1-877-287-3416 to schedule an assessment or visit www.deohpwes.com for program details and eligibility information.

• Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) is a federally funded program that provides grants for home weatherization projects to customers whose incomes are no more than 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines. To qualify, a customer’s yearly gross household income can be up to $25,520 for one person; $34,480 for two people; $43,440 for three; $52,400 for four; $61,360 for five; $70,320 for six; $79,280 for seven; and $88,240 for eight. Add $8,960 for each additional person.

Q: What Dominion Energy natural gas customers do to minimize their monthly natural gas bills? A: Dominion encourages customers to use energy more efficiently. For example, improving home insulation and having furnaces and other natural gas appliances inspected by a qualified professional contractor will maximize efficiency and comfort. Q: How much can customers save by turning down their thermostats? A: By setting the thermostat back to 68 degrees during the day and to 58 degrees at night, a homeowner can save from 10 to 15 percent on their annual heating costs. Customers can realize additional savings by turning the thermostat back to 58 degrees when they are at work or away from home for an extended period. A programmable thermostat will automatically raise and lower the settings to a preset schedule and eliminate operating the heating system manually. It's not recommended to turn the system off, especially on very cold days, because the recovery time may negate any savings realized by the setback. Q: What are some other no-cost or low-cost ways of saving energy and money? A: Besides turning down the thermostat, customers can save energy easily by weather-stripping their homes, insulating doors and windows. If a playing card fits in the crevice of an outside door or window, you need more weather-stripping. You can block off drafts at the bottom of doors with a rolled-up throw rug or towel. Lowering your hot water heater thermostat from hot (160°) to warm (120°) saves 40 percent on water heating costs. Q: During the energy crunch of the late 1970s and early 1980s, conservation was a big deal. Are Dominion Energy Ohio customers continuing to conserve? A: Yes. Conservation still makes good common and economic sense. Conservation efforts by Dominion Energy Ohio and its customers have helped reduce average annual residential natural gas consumption to 97 Mcf, a 33-percent decrease from 1973 levels. To provide an even sharper focus on the importance of conservation, that current average annual consumption figure of 97 Mcf is 24.8 percent less than the 129 Mcf our customers used 100 years ago in 1920. Q: Besides weather, what else can affect a customer’s gas bill? A: A wide range of factors can affect customers’ bills. They include: • Thermostat Temperature Settings — The lower the setting, the less gas you use, and, hence, a lower bill. • Furnace Efficiency — Newer, higher-efficiency furnaces use less natural gas than older units. • Home Insulation — Well-insulated homes use less natural gas for heating than poorly insulated homes. Also, larger homes generally require more natural gas for heating than smaller homes.

The U.S. Department of Energy offers a free brochure, “Energy Saver$” available by calling, toll-free, 1-877-337-3463, or by downloading online at http://www.eere.energy.gov. Q: How does the number of natural gas appliances in a home make a difference in an individual customer’s bill? A: Of course, a home with only a natural gas furnace and water heater generally uses less gas than a home also equipped with other gas appliances, such as gas logs, gaslights, range and clothes dryer. Q: Turning our attention to safety, we know that natural gas has a distinct odor, so one can tell when a gas line is leaking. Why is natural gas so stinky, anyway? A: Natural gas is a safe, efficient fuel. To help customers detect natural gas like leaks more easily, Dominion adds mercaptan, a chemical odorant, which gives natural gas its distinctive, sulfur-like aroma. Natural gas can only burn within a tight range of 4 to 15 percent natural gas to air mixture. We odorize our natural gas so the human nose can detect it at only a 1 percent natural gas to air mixture, well below the combustible range.

Q: What should people do if they smell an odor of natural gas? A: If people smell a natural gas odor inside a house or building, they should leave the premises immediately and call Dominion Energy Ohio’s 24-hour emergency service from a neighbor's house, toll-free, at 1-877-542-2630.

Q: How does Dominion Energy Ohio define “emergency”? A: We consider it an emergency if customers smell an odor of gas or if none of their natural gas appliances are working.

Q: Should customers try to locate the natural gas leak by themselves? A: NO! Customers should leave the building and call Dominion Energy Ohio and SHOULD NOT attempt to locate the natural gas leak by themselves.

Q: What are some other dos and don’ts of dealing with natural gas leaks and other emergency situations? A: DO NOT turn any electrical switches, appliances or lights on or off, or unplug electrical appliances when there is a strong natural gas odor. • DO NOT use telephones or cell phones in the area of a strong gas odor. • DO NOT operate vehicles or power equipment where leaking gas may be present. • DO NOT smoke or use lighters, matches or other open flames. This sounds like common sense, but there have been cases of customers or contractors causing a fire or an explosion by using a match or lighter to try to track the source of a natural gas leak.

Q: It’s fairly easy to detect a natural gas leak indoors. What about an outdoor leak? A: Outdoors, customers may not be able to detect a natural gas leak by smell, but people can use their other senses to detect an outdoor leak. For example: • Customers may hear a hissing sound. • They may see a steady stream of bubbles on the surface of puddles or ponds, or water or dirt being blown into the air. • They may see dead grass or plants in an area where there is a gas line. • They may see a fire coming from the ground or burning above it.

Q: How should customers deal with flexible connectors for such appliances as ranges and clothes driers? A: Dominion Energy Ohio recommends that customers avoid pinching or crimping flexible gas connectors because this may damage these connectors. Any uncoated brass connectors should be replaced immediately with either a new plastic-coated brass or stainless steel connector approved by the American Gas Association. Any connector can wear out from too much moving, bending or corrosion.

Q: How important is an annual appliance inspection for home safety? A: As with any mechanical equipment, natural gas appliances need regular inspection and maintenance by a qualified professional. To ensure maximum safety, efficiency and economy, Dominion Energy Ohio recommends an annual inspection. As a second line of defense, customers should consider installing a carbon monoxide detector in the sleeping area of the home.

Q: What should an annual inspection include? A: The annual inspection should include a check of the venting systems and chimneys for cracks and blockages. Natural gas appliances should burn with a crisp blue flame. If the flame is yellow, it needs to be adjusted by a qualified technician. Also, if you have a newer, high-efficiency furnace, make sure the vents are clear and free of obstructions.

Q: Why is an annual inspection so important? A: Like any fuel-burning equipment, natural gas appliances require regular maintenance to insure proper operation. For example, you wouldn't think of running your car one million miles without an oil change would you? Yet, some people run their natural gas furnaces year after year without having them inspected by a qualified contractor. An inspection can diagnose any potential problems, especially carbon monoxide (CO), ensuring your safety and comfort.

Q: What is carbon monoxide, or CO? A: Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas, usually resulting from incomplete combustion of fuel- burning equipment. CO can be dangerous because it can combine with your blood and prevent it from absorbing oxygen. This condition is called carbon monoxide poisoning. Q: What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning? A: CO exposure produces flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, confusion or irritability at low levels and vomiting, drowsiness, loss of consciousness — and even death — at high levels. Q: What are the most common sources of carbon monoxide? A: CO can come from many sources, the most common of which are: motor vehicle exhaust; cigarette smoke, clogged or blocked chimneys, rusted flues or vent pipes, improperly-installed or malfunctioning fireplaces and fuel-burning appliances; wood stoves; using outdoor grills indoors; improperly vented kerosene space heaters; and outdoor air pollution. Q: What is the most important step one can take to prevent potential CO problems? A: Our experience tells us that the first and best line of defense against potential CO incidents is having an annual appliance inspection by a qualified, reputable contractor. Q: Does CO poisoning always strike without warning or are there danger signs? • A: In its pure form, CO is odorless, colorless and tasteless, but CO rarely appears in its pure form. Three definite warning signs can indicate CO: excessive, unexplained moisture on the walls or windows; a buildup of carbon deposits or soot in the home; and a pungent odor, resembling motor vehicle exhaust, called aldehydes, a telltale sign of incomplete combustion. If you notice any of these warning signs, contact a qualified contractor immediately for an inspection.

Q: What else can customers do to prevent CO problems? A: A major safety step is never leaving a car running inside an attached garage. Even with the garage door open, enough CO can seep into your house to set off a CO detector within minutes. When you do warm up your vehicle or use your snow blower or grill, be sure to do so outside of your garage. Also, homes located in high-traffic areas or near industrial smokestacks also may experience occasional high levels of CO and homes with smokers also may experience higher than allowable levels of CO.

Q: If I have a CO detector in my home, do I still need an annual appliance inspection? A: CO detectors can provide an extra margin of safety and peace of mind, when used along with an annual heating system inspection. Under no circumstances should you use a CO detector alone, as a substitute for an annual appliance inspection. Q: How many CO detectors should I install in my home? A: If you have an annual heating system inspection, one CO detector is sufficient. It should be installed, at eye level, in the sleeping area of the house, to awaken occupants in case of an emergency. On the other hand, as our resident CO expert in our Training Department says, if you don’t get an annual appliance inspection, you’d better be prepared to install a CO detector in every room of your home. Q: What type of CO detector should I look for? A: Dominion Energy Ohio does not endorse specific brands, but we do recommend that you purchase a CO detector that complies with the appropriate local codes and Underwriters Laboratories standards, as endorsed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Q: Our viewers have seen some news reports warning customers of potential scams involving people claiming to work for utility companies threatening shutoff if the customer does not make immediate payment arrangements over the phone or in person. What can customers do to protect themselves from such fraud attempts? A: We want our customers to have the information and resources they need to protect themselves against scams. The most important thing to remember is Dominion Energy will never demand payment information over the phone. Here are some easy tips to help customers spot a utility scam and the immediate steps they can take to protect themselves:

Spotting a scam: • Dominion Energy will never threaten immediate service disconnection if payment information is not provided over the phone. • The company will never ask for payment using money orders, prepaid debit or gift cards. • Company employees will never request to enter a customer's home without proper identification, an appointment or a reported emergency. Additionally, employees do not ask for payment in person. Outsmart a scammer: • Hang up. If a customer is unsure if a call is valid, even if Dominion Energy’s number shows on the caller ID, they should immediately hang up and never provide personal information. • Verify. Customers can verify their account status, balances or due dates by signing into the Dominion Energy app, checking their online account, or by calling the number located on their energy bill. • Ignore. Customers should not respond to suspicious emails or text messages or click on links or attachments prompting energy bill payment. • Report. Tell local authorities about suspicious calls, texts and emails.

Connect with the company: • Access many payment options conveniently 24/7 by signing into the Dominion Energy app or online account. • Learn about Dominion Energy’s additional contributions to its energy assistance programs and support of various community partners to help customers facing financial hardship: https://www.dominionenergy.com/ohio/billing/billing-options-and-assistance • Call 1-800-362-7557. Company representatives will work with customers to determine the best payment option for their unique situation. Both short-term payment extensions and long- term payment plans are available. • For more scam prevention tips, visit dominionenergy.com/our-stories/scammers-and-personal- safety.

Q: Who is responsible for maintaining the various pipes, meters and other natural gas equipment in a home or business? Who owns what? A: Dominion Energy Ohio owns and is responsible for maintaining the main line, which runs along the street. Under our 2007 rate case settlement, Dominion also has assumed responsibility for the service line, which connects the Dominion Energy main line at the curb to the regulator, which reduces the pressure, usually to ounces per-square inch, so the gas can be used in the customers’ appliances, and the meter, which measures the amount of natural gas used at a home or business. Customers own and retain responsibility for the houselines, including buried houselines, which carry natural gas from the meter to the various appliances. Buried houselines carry natural gas to the home from meters that are located in the yard.

Q: What are some other natural gas safety tips customers should know? A: Here they are:  Keep combustible materials away from furnaces, water heaters, ranges or other appliances.  Clean dirt and dust from underneath and around appliances, for maximum safety and efficiency.  Don't tamper with or obstruct the gas meter, whether it's located inside or outside the home. Also, never use a gas meter as hanger, a bike post or for any other purpose.  Customers should be sure to have a working smoke detector on each floor of their home to alert families of danger. Check the detectors monthly and change the batteries yearly.  House numbers should be posted clearly on the home or mailbox. Obscured or missing house numbers can cause a delay in locating a home during an emergency.

Q: What can customers and excavators do to prevent costly and potentially dangerous dig-ins to natural gas lines by contractors and individuals? A: Dominion Energy Ohio and other member utilities of the Ohio Gas Association have conducted a statewide advertising and public awareness campaign to remind customers and contractors that state law requires them to make a toll-free call to Ohio811 by dialing 8-1-1, at least two working days before digging, to avoid costly damage to underground utility lines on their properties.