Commitments and Contingencies

As a result of issues generated in the ordinary course of business, Dominion and Virginia Power are involved in legal proceedings before various courts and are periodically subject to governmental examinations (including by regulatory authorities), inquiries and investigations. Certain legal proceedings and governmental examinations involve demands for unspecified amounts of damages, are in an initial procedural phase, involve uncertainty as to the outcome of pending appeals or motions, and/or involve significant factual issues that need to be resolved, such that it is not possible for the Companies to estimate a range of possible loss. For matters for which the Companies cannot estimate a range of possible loss, a statement to this effect is made in the description of the matter. Other matters may have progressed sufficiently through the litigation or investigative processes such that the Companies are able to estimate a range of possible loss. For legal proceedings and governmental examinations for which the Companies are able to reasonably estimate a range of possible losses, an estimated range of possible loss is provided, in excess of the accrued liability (if any) for such matters. Estimated ranges of loss are inclusive of legal fees and net of any anticipated insurance recoveries. This estimated range is based on currently available information and involves elements of judgment and significant uncertainties. This estimated range of possible loss does not represent the Companies' maximum possible loss exposure. The circumstances of such legal proceedings and governmental examinations will change from time to time and actual results may vary significantly from the current estimate. For current proceedings not specifically reported below, management does not anticipate that the liabilities, if any, arising from such proceedings would have a material effect on Dominion's or Virginia Power's financial position, liquidity or results of operations.

Environmental Matters

Dominion and Virginia Power are subject to costs resulting from a number of federal, state and local laws and regulations designed to protect human health and the environment. These laws and regulations affect future planning and existing operations. They can result in increased capital, operating and other costs as a result of compliance, remediation, containment and monitoring obligations.

Air

The CAA is a comprehensive program utilizing a broad range of regulatory tools to protect and preserve the nation's air quality. At a minimum, states are required to establish regulatory programs to address all requirements of the CAA. However, states may choose to develop regulatory programs that are more restrictive. Many of Dominion's and Virginia Power's facilities are subject to the CAA's permitting and other requirements.

On December 21, 2011, the EPA issued MATS for coal and oil-fired electric utility steam generating units. The rule establishes strict emission limits for mercury, particulate matter as a surrogate for toxic metals and hydrogen chloride as a surrogate for acid gases. The rule includes a limited use provision for oil-fired units with annual capacity factors under 8% that provides an exemption from emission limits, and allows compliance with operational work practice standards. Compliance will be required by Spring 2015, with certain limited exceptions. Other than impacts disclosed in Dominion's and Virginia Power's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, the cost to comply with the rule is not expected to be material. Dominion continues to be governed by individual state mercury emission reduction regulations in Massachusetts and Illinois that are largely unaffected by this rule.

In July 2011, the EPA issued a final replacement rule for CAIR, called CSAPR, that requires 28 states to reduce power plant emissions that cross state lines. CSAPR establishes new SO₂ and NO_xemissions cap and trade programs that are completely independent of the current ARP. Specifically, CSAPR requires reductions in SO₂ and NO_x emissions from fossil fuel-fired electric generating units of 25 MW or more through annual NO_x emissions caps, NO_x emissions caps during the ozone season (May 1 through September 30) and annual SO₂ emission caps with differing requirements for two groups of affected states.

With respect to Dominion's generation fleet, the cost to comply with the rule is not expected to be material. However, following numerous petitions by industry participants for review and motions for stay, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a ruling in December 2011 to stay CSAPR pending judicial review. Also, in the fourth quarter of 2011, the EPA proposed technical revisions to CSAPR. Accordingly, future outcomes of litigation and/or final action to modify the rule could affect this assessment. While the stay of CSAPR is in effect, the EPA will continue to administer CAIR.

In February 2008, Dominion received a request for information pursuant to Section 114 of the CAA from the EPA. The request concerns historical operating changes and capital improvements undertaken at State Line and Kincaid. In April 2009, Dominion received a second request for information. Dominion provided information in response to both requests. Also in April 2009, Dominion received a Notice and Finding of Violations from the EPA claiming violations of the CAA New Source Review requirements, NSPS, the Title V permit program and the stations' respective State Implementation Plans. The Notice states that the EPA may issue an order requiring compliance with the relevant CAA provisions and may seek injunctive relief and/or civil penalties, all pursuant to the EPA's enforcement authority under the CAA.

Dominion believes that it complied with applicable laws and the EPA regulations and interpretations in effect at the time the work in question took place. The CAA authorizes maximum civil penalties of $25,000 to $37,500 per day, per violation at each generating unit, depending on the date of the alleged violation. In addition to any such penalties that may be awarded, an adverse outcome could require substantial capital expenditures or affect the timing of currently budgeted capital expenditures. Such expenditures could affect future results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition. Dominion is currently unable to make an estimate of the potential financial statement impacts related to these matters.

Water

The CWA is a comprehensive program requiring a broad range of regulatory tools including a permit program to authorize and regulate discharges to surface waters with strong enforcement mechanisms. Dominion and Virginia Power must comply with all aspects of the CWA programs at their operating facilities.

In October 2003, the EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection each issued new NPDES permits for Brayton Point. The new permits contained identical conditions that in effect require the installation of cooling towers to address concerns over the withdrawal and discharge of cooling water. Currently, Dominion is constructing the cooling towers and estimates the total cost to install these cooling towers at approximately $570 million, with remaining expenditures of approximately $65 million included in its planned capital expenditures through 2012.

In September 2010, Millstone's NPDES permit was reissued under the CWA. The conditions of the permit require an evaluation of control technologies that could result in additional expenditures in the future, however, Dominion cannot currently predict the outcome of this evaluation. In October 2010, the permit issuance was appealed to the state court by a private plaintiff. The permit is expected to remain in effect during the appeal. Dominion is currently unable to make an estimate of the potential financial statement impacts related to this matter.

Solid and Hazardous Waste

The CERCLA, as amended, provides for immediate response and removal actions coordinated by the EPA in the event of threatened releases of hazardous substances into the environment and authorizes the U.S. government either to clean up sites at which hazardous substances have created actual or potential environmental hazards or to order persons responsible for the situation to do so. Under the CERCLA, as amended, generators and transporters of hazardous substances, as well as past and present owners and operators of contaminated sites, can be strictly, jointly and severally liable for the cost of cleanup. These potentially responsible parties can be ordered to perform a cleanup, be sued for costs associated with an EPA-directed cleanup, voluntarily settle with the U.S. government concerning their liability for cleanup costs, or voluntarily begin a site investigation and site remediation under state oversight.

From time to time, Dominion or Virginia Power may be identified as a potentially responsible party to a Superfund site. The EPA (or a state) can either allow such a party to conduct and pay for a remedial investigation, feasibility study and remedial action or conduct the remedial investigation and action itself and then seek reimbursement from the potentially responsible parties. Each party can be held jointly, severally and strictly liable for the cleanup costs. These parties can also bring contribution actions against each other and seek reimbursement from their insurance companies. As a result, Dominion or Virginia Power may be responsible for the costs of remedial investigation and actions under the Superfund law or other laws or regulations regarding the remediation of waste. Except as noted below, the Companies do not believe this will have a material effect on results of operations, financial condition and/or cash flows.

In September 2011, the EPA issued a UAO to Virginia Power and 22 other parties, ordering specific remedial action of certain areas at the Ward Transformer Superfund site located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Virginia Power does not believe it is a liable party under CERCLA based on its alleged connection to the site. In November 2011, Virginia Power and a number of other parties notified the EPA that they are declining to undertake the work set forth in the UAO.

The EPA may seek to enforce a UAO in court pursuant to its enforcement authority under CERCLA, and may seek recovery of its costs in undertaking removal or remedial action. If the court determines that a respondent failed to comply with the UAO without sufficient cause, the EPA may also seek civil penalties of up to $37,500 per day for the violation and punitive damages of up to three times the costs incurred by the EPA as a result of the party's failure to comply with the UAO. Virginia Power is currently unable to make an estimate of the potential financial statement impacts related to the Ward Transformer matter.

Dominion has determined that it is associated with 17 former manufactured gas plant sites. Studies conducted by other utilities at their former manufactured gas plant sites have indicated that those sites contain coal tar and other potentially harmful materials. None of the 17 former sites with which Dominion is associated is under investigation by any state or federal environmental agency. At one of the former sites, Dominion is conducting a state-approved post closure groundwater monitoring program and an environmental land use restriction has been recorded. Another site has been accepted into a state-based voluntary remediation program and Dominion has not yet estimated the future remediation costs. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these sites, Dominion is unable to make an estimate of the potential financial statement impacts related to these sites.

Climate Change Legislation and Regulation

Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, among other states, have joined RGGI, a multi-state effort to reduce CO₂ emissions in the Northeast implemented through state specific regulations. Under the initiative, aggregate CO₂ emissions from power plants in participating states are required to be stabilized at current levels from 2009 to 2015. Further reductions from current levels would be required to be phased in starting in 2016 such that by 2019 there would be a 10% reduction in participating state power plant CO₂ emissions. During 2012, RGGI will undergo a program review which could impact regulations and implementation of RGGI. The impact of this program review on Dominion's fossil fired generation operations in RGGI states is unknown at this time, and Dominion is currently unable to make an estimate of the potential financial statement impacts related to these matters.

Three of Dominion's facilities, Brayton Point, Salem Harbor and Manchester Street, are subject to RGGI. Beginning with calendar year 2009, RGGI requires that Dominion cover each ton of CO₂ direct stack emissions from these facilities with either an allowance or an offset. The allowances can be purchased through auction or through a secondary market. Dominion has periodically participated in RGGI allowance auctions to date and has procured allowances to meet its estimated compliance requirements under RGGI's current requirement for 2009 through 2014 and partially for 2015, therefore Dominion does not expect compliance with RGGI to have a material impact on its results of operations or financial condition. During June 2011, a lawsuit was filed in New York seeking to retroactively rescind RGGI participation by that state. A percentage of Dominion's RGGI allowances had been acquired from New York. The allocated value of these allowances totaled approximately $38 million, of which all have been expensed as consumed for RGGI Phase I compliance. In February 2012, Dominion surrendered these New York RGGI allowances for the RGGI Phase I compliance period and therefore does not expect any significant financial statement impacts from this lawsuit as it no longer holds allowances issued by the state of New York.

MF Global

Prior to October 31, 2011, certain of Dominion's subsidiaries executed certain commodity transactions on exchanges using MF Global, an FCM registered with the CFTC. In order to secure its potential exposure on these commodity transactions, Dominion posted certain required margin collateral with MF Global. The parent company of MF Global, MF Global Holdings Ltd., filed for bankruptcy relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on October 31, 2011. On the same date, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York appointed a trustee to oversee the liquidation of MF Global pursuant to the Securities Investor Protection Act.

In accordance with court-approved procedures, Dominion transferred to other FCMs all open positions executed using MF Global. The initial margin posted for these open positions at October 31, 2011 was approximately $73 million. Dominion has received approximately $8 million of this amount through the liquidation process to date.

At this time, the MF Global trustee is determining the final amounts that will be recoverable and ultimately distributed to MF Global's customers. As part of this process, the trustee has filed claims in the insolvency proceeding of MF Global affiliates in various foreign jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, which claims are still pending. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the ultimate recovery on the claims filed by the MF Global trustee in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, the uncertain timing of such recovery, and the potential dilution of such recovered funds in the liquidation process, Dominion is unable to estimate the loss, if any, associated with its remaining margin claims or when it will receive any additional recoveries on such claims.

Nuclear Matters

In March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused significant damage at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station in northeast Japan. These events have resulted in significant nuclear safety reviews required by the NRC and industry groups such as INPO. Like other U.S. nuclear operators, Dominion has been gathering supporting data and participating in industry initiatives focused on the ability to respond to and mitigate the consequences of design-basis and beyond-design-basis events at its stations.

In March 2012, the NRC issued orders and information requests requiring specific reviews and actions to all operating reactors, construction permit holders and combined license holders based on the lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi event. The orders applicable to Dominion require implementation of safety enhancements related to mitigation strategies to respond to extreme natural events resulting in the loss of power at plants, and enhancing spent fuel pool instrumentation. The orders require prompt implementation of the safety enhancements and completion of implementation within two refueling outages or by December 31, 2016, whichever comes first. Information requests issued by the NRC request each reactor to reevaluate the seismic and flooding hazards at their site using present-day methods and information, conduct walkdowns of their facilities to ensure protection against the hazards in their current design basis, and to reevaluate their emergency communications systems and staffing levels. These orders could require U.S. nuclear facilities, including those owned by Dominion and Virginia Power, to undertake plant modifications or perform additional analyses that may result in increased costs and capital requirements. Dominion and Virginia Power are evaluating the orders and information requests issued by the NRC and are currently unable to estimate the potential financial impacts related to these matters.

Guarantees

Dominion

At March 31, 2012, Dominion had issued $77 million of guarantees, primarily to support equity method investees. No significant amounts related to these guarantees have been recorded. As of March 31, 2012, Dominion’s exposure under these guarantees was $45 million, primarily related to certain reserve requirements associated with non-recourse financing.

Dominion also enters into guarantee arrangements on behalf of its consolidated subsidiaries, primarily to facilitate their commercial transactions with third parties. To the extent that a liability subject to a guarantee has been incurred by one of Dominion's consolidated subsidiaries, that liability is included in its Consolidated Financial Statements. Dominion is not required to recognize liabilities for guarantees issued on behalf of its subsidiaries unless it becomes probable that it will have to perform under the guarantees. Terms of the guarantees typically end once obligations have been paid. Dominion currently believes it is unlikely that it would be required to perform or otherwise incur any losses associated with guarantees of its subsidiaries' obligations.

At March 31, 2012, Dominion had issued the following subsidiary guarantees:



	Stated Limit		Value⁽¹⁾
(millions)
Subsidiary debt⁽²⁾	$	363	$	363
Commodity transactions⁽³⁾	3,360		273
Nuclear obligations⁽⁴⁾	231		62
Other⁽⁵⁾	481		44
Total	$	4,435	$	742


(1)	Represents the estimated portion of the guarantee's stated limit that is utilized as of March 31, 2012 based upon prevailing economic conditions and fact patterns specific to each guarantee arrangement. For those guarantees related to obligations that are recorded as liabilities by Dominion's subsidiaries, the value includes the recorded amount.


(2)	Guarantees of debt of certain DEI subsidiaries. In the event of default by the subsidiaries, Dominion would be obligated to repay such amounts.

(3)

Guarantees related to energy trading and marketing activities and other commodity commitments of certain subsidiaries, including subsidiaries of Virginia Power and DEI. These guarantees were provided to counterparties in order to facilitate physical and financial transactions in gas, oil, electricity, pipeline capacity, transportation and related commodities and services. If any of these subsidiaries fail to perform or pay under the contracts and the counterparties seek performance or payment, Dominion would be obligated to satisfy such obligation. Dominion and its subsidiaries receive similar guarantees as collateral for credit extended to others. The value provided includes certain guarantees that do not have stated limits.

(4)

Guarantees related to certain DEI subsidiaries' potential retrospective premiums that could be assessed if there is a nuclear incident under Dominion's nuclear insurance programs and guarantees for a DEI subsidiary's and Virginia Power's commitment to buy nuclear fuel. Excludes Dominion's agreement to provide up to $150 million and $60 million to two DEI subsidiaries to pay the operating expenses of Millstone and Kewaunee, respectively, in the event of a prolonged outage, as part of satisfying certain NRC requirements concerned with ensuring adequate funding for the operations of nuclear power stations.


(5)	Guarantees related to other miscellaneous contractual obligations such as leases, environmental obligations and construction projects. Also includes guarantees related to certain DEI subsidiaries' obligations for equity capital contributions and energy generation associated with Fowler Ridge and NedPower.

Surety Bonds and Letters of Credit

As of March 31, 2012, Dominion had purchased $155 million of surety bonds, including $62 million at Virginia Power, and authorized the issuance of standby letters of credit by financial institutions of $36 million, including $15 million at Virginia Power, to facilitate commercial transactions by its subsidiaries with third parties. Under the terms of the surety bonds, the Companies are obligated to indemnify the respective surety bond company for any amounts paid.

Merchant Generation Operations

Dominion continually reviews its portfolio of assets to determine which assets fit strategically and support its objectives to improve return on invested capital and shareholder value. If Dominion identifies assets that do not support its objectives, it may consider such assets for divestiture. In connection with this effort, in the first quarter of 2011, Dominion decided to pursue the sale of Kewaunee. If these efforts are successful, Dominion may be required to present Kewaunee's assets and liabilities that are subject to sale as held for sale in its Consolidated Balance Sheet and Kewaunee's results of operations in discontinued operations in its Consolidated Statements of Income. Held for sale classification would require that amounts be recorded at the lower of book value or sale price less costs to sell and could result in the recording of an impairment charge. Any sale of Kewaunee would be subject to the approval of Dominion's Board of Directors, as well as applicable state and federal approvals.