Credit Risk	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Risks and Uncertainties [Abstract]
Credit Risk	. CREDIT RISK Credit risk is the risk of financial loss if counterparties fail to perform their contractual obligations. In order to minimize overall credit risk, credit policies are maintained, including the evaluation of counterparty financial condition, collateral requirements and the use of standardized agreements that facilitate the netting of cash flows associated with a single counterparty. In addition, counterparties may make available collateral, including letters of credit or cash held as margin deposits, as a result of exceeding agreed-upon credit limits, or may be required to prepay the transaction. Dominion and Virginia Power maintain a provision for credit losses based on factors surrounding the credit risk of their customers, historical trends and other information. Management believes, based on credit policies and the December 31, 2011 provision for credit losses, that it is unlikely that a material adverse effect on financial position, results of operations or cash flows would occur as a result of counterparty nonperformance. GENERAL DOMINION As a diversified energy company, Dominion transacts primarily with major companies in the energy industry and with commercial and residential energy consumers. These transactions principally occur in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions of the U.S. Dominion does not believe that this geographic concentration contributes significantly to its overall exposure to credit risk. In addition, as a result of its large and diverse customer base, Dominion is not exposed to a significant concentration of credit risk for receivables arising from electric and gas utility operations. Dominion's exposure to credit risk is concentrated primarily within its energy marketing and price risk management activities, as Dominion transacts with a smaller, less diverse group of counterparties and transactions may involve large notional volumes and potentially volatile commodity prices. Energy marketing and price risk management activities include trading of energy-related commodities, marketing of merchant generation output, structured transactions and the use of financial contracts for enterprise-wide hedging purposes. Gross credit exposure for each counterparty is calculated as outstanding receivables plus any unrealized on- or off-balance sheet exposure, taking into account contractual netting rights. Gross credit exposure is calculated prior to the application of collateral. At December 31, 2011, Dominion's gross credit exposure totaled $534 million. After the application of collateral, credit exposure is reduced to $504 million. Of this amount, investment grade counterparties, including those internally rated, represented 80%. One counterparty exposure represents 10% of Dominion's total exposure and is a large financial institution rated investment grade. VIRGINIA POWER Virginia Power sells electricity and provides distribution and transmission services to customers in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Management believes that this geographic concentration risk is mitigated by the diversity of Virginia Power's customer base, which includes residential, commercial and industrial customers, as well as rural electric cooperatives and municipalities. Credit risk associated with trade accounts receivable from energy consumers is limited due to the large number of customers. Virginia Power's exposure to potential concentrations of credit risk results primarily from sales to wholesale customers. Virginia Power's gross credit exposure for each counterparty is calculated as outstanding receivables plus any unrealized on- or off-balance sheet exposure, taking into account contractual netting rights. Gross credit exposure is calculated prior to the application of collateral. At December 31, 2011, Virginia Power's exposure to potential concentrations of credit risk was not considered material. CREDIT-RELATED CONTINGENT PROVISIONS The majority of Dominion's derivative instruments contain credit-related contingent provisions. These provisions require Dominion to provide collateral upon the occurrence of specific events, primarily a credit downgrade. If the credit-related contingent features underlying these instruments that are in a liability position and not fully collateralized with cash were fully triggered as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, Dominion would have been required to post an additional $88 million of collateral to its counterparties. The collateral that would be required to be posted includes the impacts of any offsetting asset positions and any amounts already posted for derivatives, non-derivative contracts and derivatives elected under the normal purchases and normal sales exception, per contractual terms. Dominion had posted $110 million in collateral, including $4 million of letters of credit at December 31, 2011 and $54 million in collateral, including $19 million of letters of credit at December 31, 2010, related to derivatives with credit-related contingent provisions that are in a liability position and not fully collateralized with cash. The collateral posted includes any amounts paid related to non-derivative contracts and derivatives elected under the normal purchases and normal sales exception, per contractual terms. The aggregate fair value of all derivative instruments with credit-related contingent provisions that are in a liability position and not fully collateralized with cash as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 was $259 million and $210 million, respectively, which does not include the impact of any offsetting asset positions. Credit-related contingent provisions for Virginia Power were not material as of December 31, 2011 and 2010. See Note 8 for further information about derivative instruments.

. CREDIT RISK

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss if counterparties fail to perform their contractual obligations. In order to minimize overall credit risk, credit policies are maintained, including the evaluation of counterparty financial condition, collateral requirements and the use of standardized agreements that facilitate the netting of cash flows associated with a single counterparty. In addition, counterparties may make available collateral, including letters of credit or cash held as margin deposits, as a result of exceeding agreed-upon credit limits, or may be required to prepay the transaction.

Dominion and Virginia Power maintain a provision for credit losses based on factors surrounding the credit risk of their customers, historical trends and other information. Management believes, based on credit policies and the December 31, 2011 provision for credit losses, that it is unlikely that a material adverse effect on financial position, results of operations or cash flows would occur as a result of counterparty nonperformance.

GENERAL

DOMINION

As a diversified energy company, Dominion transacts primarily with major companies in the energy industry and with commercial and residential energy consumers. These transactions principally occur in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions of the U.S. Dominion does not believe that this geographic concentration contributes significantly to its overall exposure to credit risk. In addition, as a result of its large and diverse customer base, Dominion is not exposed to a significant concentration of credit risk for receivables arising from electric and gas utility operations.

Dominion's exposure to credit risk is concentrated primarily within its energy marketing and price risk management activities, as Dominion transacts with a smaller, less diverse group of counterparties and transactions may involve large notional volumes and potentially volatile commodity prices. Energy marketing and price risk management activities include trading of energy-related commodities, marketing of merchant generation output, structured transactions and the use of financial contracts for enterprise-wide hedging purposes. Gross credit exposure for each counterparty is calculated as outstanding receivables plus any unrealized on- or off-balance sheet exposure, taking into account contractual netting rights. Gross credit exposure is calculated prior to the application of collateral. At December 31, 2011, Dominion's gross credit exposure totaled $534 million. After the application of collateral, credit exposure is reduced to $504 million. Of this amount, investment grade counterparties, including those internally rated, represented 80%. One counterparty exposure represents 10% of Dominion's total exposure and is a large financial institution rated investment grade.

VIRGINIA POWER

Virginia Power sells electricity and provides distribution and transmission services to customers in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Management believes that this geographic concentration risk is mitigated by the diversity of Virginia Power's customer base, which includes residential, commercial and industrial customers, as well as rural electric cooperatives and municipalities. Credit risk associated with trade accounts receivable from energy consumers is limited due to the large number of customers. Virginia Power's exposure to potential concentrations of credit risk results primarily from sales to wholesale customers. Virginia Power's gross credit exposure for each counterparty is calculated as outstanding receivables plus any unrealized on- or off-balance sheet exposure, taking into account contractual netting rights. Gross credit exposure is calculated prior to the application of collateral. At December 31, 2011, Virginia Power's exposure to potential concentrations of credit risk was not considered material.

CREDIT-RELATED CONTINGENT PROVISIONS

The majority of Dominion's derivative instruments contain credit-related contingent provisions. These provisions require Dominion to provide collateral upon the occurrence of specific events, primarily a credit downgrade. If the credit-related contingent features underlying these instruments that are in a liability position and not fully collateralized with cash were fully triggered as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, Dominion would have been required to post an additional $88 million of collateral to its counterparties. The collateral that would be required to be posted includes the impacts of any offsetting asset positions and any amounts already posted for derivatives, non-derivative contracts and derivatives elected under the normal purchases and normal sales exception, per contractual terms. Dominion had posted $110 million in collateral, including $4 million of letters of credit at December 31, 2011 and $54 million in collateral, including $19 million of letters of credit at December 31, 2010, related to derivatives with credit-related contingent provisions that are in a liability position and not fully collateralized with cash. The collateral posted includes any amounts paid related to non-derivative contracts and derivatives elected under the normal purchases and normal sales exception, per contractual terms. The aggregate fair value of all derivative instruments with credit-related contingent provisions that are in a liability position and not fully collateralized with cash as of December 31, 2011 and 2010 was $259 million and $210 million, respectively, which does not include the impact of any offsetting asset positions. Credit-related contingent provisions for Virginia Power were not material as of December 31, 2011 and 2010. See Note 8 for further information about derivative instruments.