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Filed Pursuant to 424(b)(5)

Registration No. 333-219088

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered		Maximum Aggregate   Offering Price		Amount of   Registration Fee(1)(2)
Common Stock (without par value)		$500,000,000		$34,770

 

(1)

This “Calculation of Registration Fee” table shall be deemed to update the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-219088) in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

(2)

In accordance with Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this prospectus supplement includes unsold shares of common stock having an aggregate offering price of $200,000,000 that were previously registered on Registration Statement No. 333-201149 pursuant to the prospectus supplement filed by the Registrant on December 19, 2014. Such unsold shares of common stock were originally registered on Registration Statement No. 333-179213 pursuant to the prospectus supplement filed by the Registrant on January 27, 2012. Pursuant to Rule 415(a)(6), the $22,920 fee previously paid by the Registrant with respect to the unsold shares of common stock continues to apply to such shares and no fees are due with respect to such shares. Accordingly, a registration fee of $34,770 is being paid at this time.

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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus Dated June 30, 2017)

 

Dominion Energy, Inc.

$500,000,000

Common Stock

This prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relate to the offer and sale from time to time of shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $500,000,000. The shares of our common stock to which this prospectus supplement relates will be offered from time to time through the sales agents named below.

Our common stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “D.” The last reported sale price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on June 29, 2017 was $77.06 per share.

The proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock to which this prospectus supplement relates will be used for general corporate purposes as described herein under “Use of Proceeds.”

The shares of our common stock to which this prospectus supplement relates may be offered and sold in (i) privately negotiated transactions, or (ii) by any other method or payment permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the New York Stock Exchange or sales made to or through a market maker or through an electronic communications network, all pursuant to sales agency agreements that we have entered into with our sales agents. An indeterminate number of shares of common stock may be sold up to the number of shares that will result in the receipt of aggregate gross proceeds of up to $500,000,000. Subject to the terms and conditions of its sales agency agreement with us, each sales agent, as applicable, will use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell, as our sales agent and on our behalf, any shares of common stock to be offered by us under our sales agency agreement with it. We will pay each of the sales agents a commission equal to 1.00% of the gross sales price per share of shares sold through it. The net proceeds that we will receive will be the gross proceeds from such sales less the commissions and any other costs we may incur in issuing the shares. See “Use of Proceeds” and “Plan of Distribution” in this prospectus supplement for further information.

Investing in our common stock involves risks. For a description of these risks, see “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

BofA Merrill Lynch		Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC		Morgan Stanley

 

 

The date of this prospectus supplement is June 30, 2017.

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This document is in two parts. The first part is the prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this common stock offering and certain other matters relating to us and our financial condition. The second part, the accompanying base prospectus, gives more general information about securities we may offer from time to time, some of which does not apply to the common stock we are offering pursuant to this prospectus supplement. Generally, when we refer to the prospectus, we are referring to both parts of this document combined. To the extent the description of the common stock in the prospectus supplement differs from the description of common stock in the accompanying base prospectus, you should only rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained in this document or to which this document refers you, or in other offering materials filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We have not authorized anyone, and we have not authorized the sales agents to authorize anyone, to provide you with different information. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any different or inconsistent information. This document may only be used where it is legal to sell these securities. The information which appears in this document and which is incorporated by reference in this document may only be accurate as of the date of this prospectus supplement or the date of the document in which incorporated information appears. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since the date of such information.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Prospectus Supplement
		Page
About This Prospectus Supplement			S-2
Prospectus Supplement Summary			S-4
Risk Factors			S-6
Use of Proceeds			S-6
Common Stock Price Range and Dividends			S-7
Plan of Distribution			S-8
Legal Matters			S-9
Experts			S-9
Base Prospectus
		Page
About This Prospectus			2
Where You Can Find More Information			2
Safe Harbor and Cautionary Statements			3
Dominion Energy			3
Risk Factors			4
Use of Proceeds			4
Description of Debt Securities			5
Additional Terms of the Senior Debt Securities			16
Additional Terms of the Junior Subordinated Debentures			18
Additional Terms of the Junior Subordinated Notes			19
Description of Capital Stock			20
Virginia Stock Corporation Act and the Articles and the Bylaws			22
Description of Stock Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Units			26
Plan of Distribution			26
Legal Matters			28
Experts			29

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our common stock involves risks. Some of these risks relate to our business and some relate to this offering. In consultation with your own financial and legal advisers, you should carefully consider, among other matters, the discussion of risks that we have incorporated by reference herein and set forth below before deciding whether an investment in our common stock is suitable for you.

Risks Relating to Our Business

Our business is influenced by many factors that are difficult to predict, involve uncertainties that may materially affect actual results and are often beyond our control. We have identified and will in the future identify a number of these factors under the heading “Risk Factors” in our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K incorporated by reference herein or in other offering materials.

Risks Relating to this Offering

The price of our common stock may be adversely affected by the issuance and sale of our common stock, including pursuant to the sales agency agreements. We cannot predict the effect that future issuances or sales of our common stock, if any, including those made pursuant to the sales agency agreements, may have on the market price for our common stock. In addition, the sales agents, as agents for sales under the sales agency agreements, will not engage in any transactions that stabilize the price of our common stock. The issuance and sale of substantial amounts of common stock, including issuances and sales pursuant to the sales agency agreements, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes including repayment of debt and funding capital expenditures. Affiliates of each of the sales agents participate in our credit facilities. As a result, such affiliates may receive a portion of the net proceeds of this offering through the repayment of those borrowings if we decide to pay down such indebtedness.

 

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COMMON STOCK PRICE RANGE AND DIVIDENDS

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “D”. The following table sets forth the range of intra-day high and low sale prices, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange, and the cash dividends declared on the common stock for the periods indicated:

 

		Price Range
		High				Low				Dividends
2015
First Quarter		$	79.89			$	68.25			$	0.6475
Second Quarter			74.34				66.52				0.6475
Third Quarter			76.59				66.65				0.6475
Fourth Quarter			74.88				64.54				0.6475
2016
First Quarter		$	75.18			$	66.25			$	0.7000
Second Quarter			77.93				68.71				0.7000
Third Quarter			78.97				72.49				0.7000
Fourth Quarter			77.32				69.51				0.7000
2017
First Quarter		$	79.36			$	70.87			$	0.7550
Second Quarter through June 29, 2017			81.65				76.17				0.7550

On June 29, 2017, the last reported sale price of the common stock on the New York Stock Exchange was $77.06 per share.

Dividends on our common stock are paid as declared by Dominion Energy’s board of directors. On May 10, 2017, our board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.755 per share payable on June 20, 2017 to shareholders of record on June 2, 2017. Dividends are typically paid on the 20th of March, June, September and December of each year. Dividends can be paid by check or electronic deposit, or may be reinvested.

As of May 31, 2017, we had approximately 629 million shares of our common stock outstanding, and there were approximately 125,000 holders of record of our common stock.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We have entered into a separate sales agency agreement with each of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC as our sales agents under which we may offer and sell from time to time shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $500,000,000 through, at our discretion, any of the sales agents. Sales of the shares, if any, will be made in (i) privately negotiated transactions (if and only if we and the sales agents have so agreed in writing), or (ii) by any other method or payment permitted by law deemed to be an “at the market” offering as defined in Rule 415 of the Securities Act, including sales made directly on the New York Stock Exchange or sales made to or through a market maker or through an electronic communications network. Nothing in the sales agency agreements shall be deemed to require us or the sales agents to agree to the method of offer and sale specified in clause (i) above, and any party may withhold its consent thereto in such party’s sole discretion. As our sales agents, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC will not engage in any transactions that stabilize our common stock.

Each sales agent will offer shares of our common stock subject to the terms and conditions of its sales agency agreement with us. We will designate the minimum price per share at which the shares may be sold and the maximum amount of shares of common stock to be sold through the sales agents on a daily basis or otherwise determine such maximum amount together with the sales agents. Subject to the terms and conditions of its sales agency agreement with us, each sales agent, as applicable, will use its commercially reasonable efforts to sell as our sales agent and on our behalf, all of the designated shares of common stock. We or any of the sales agents may suspend the offering of shares of common stock being made through the sales agents under the sales agency agreements upon proper notice to the other party.

Each sales agent will receive from us a commission equal to 1.00% of the gross sales price per share for any shares sold through it as our sales agent under its sales agency agreement with us. The remaining sales proceeds, after deducting transaction fees imposed by any governmental, regulatory, or self-regulatory organization in connection with the sales, will equal our net proceeds for the sale of such shares. We have agreed to reimburse the agents for certain of their legal and other expenses in certain circumstances.

Each sales agent will provide written confirmation to us following the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange each day in which shares of common stock are sold by such sales agent for us under its sales agency agreement with us. Each confirmation will include the number of shares sold on that day, the gross sales price per share, the net proceeds to us and the compensation payable by us to the applicable sales agent.

Settlement for sales of common stock will occur, unless the parties agree otherwise, on the third business day following the date on which any sales were made against payment of the net proceeds to us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

We will deliver to the New York Stock Exchange copies of this prospectus supplement pursuant to the rules of the exchange. We will report at least quarterly the number of shares of common stock sold through the sales agents under the sales agency agreements, the net proceeds to us and the compensation paid by us to the sales agents in connection with the sales of common stock.

In connection with the sale of the common stock on our behalf, each of the sales agents may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and the compensation paid to the sales agents may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed in the sales agency agreements to provide indemnification and contribution to each of the sales agents against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

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The sales agents and their affiliates have performed investment banking, commercial banking and advisory services for us from time to time for which they have received customary fees and expenses. The sales agents may, from time to time in the future, engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of business. Affiliates of each of the sales agents participate in our credit facilities. As a result, such affiliates may receive a portion of the net proceeds of this offering through the repayment of those borrowings if we decide to pay down such indebtedness.

If any of the sales agents or we have reason to believe that the exemptive provisions set forth in Rule 101(c)(1) of Regulation M under the Exchange Act are not satisfied, that party will promptly notify the other party and sales of common stock under the sales agency agreements will be suspended until that or other exemptive provisions have been satisfied in the judgment of the sales agents and us.

The offering of common stock pursuant to each of the sales agency agreements will terminate upon the termination of each respective sales agency agreement, pursuant to its terms, by each respective sales agent or us.

We estimate that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding discounts and commissions payable to the sales agents under the sales agency agreements, will be approximately $150,000.

LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters in connection with this common stock offering will be passed upon for us by McGuireWoods LLP, and for the sales agents by Troutman Sanders LLP which also performs certain legal services for us and our affiliates on other matters.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference from the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

 

DOMINION ENERGY, INC.

120 Tredegar Street

Richmond, Virginia 23219

(804) 819-2000

 

Senior Debt Securities

 

Junior Subordinated Debentures

 

Junior Subordinated Notes

 

Common Stock

 

Preferred Stock

 

Stock Purchase Contracts

 

Stock Purchase Units

 

From time to time, we may offer and sell our securities. The securities we may offer may be convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for other securities of the Company.

 

We will file prospectus supplements and may provide other offering materials that furnish specific terms of the securities to be offered under this prospectus. The terms of the securities will include the initial offering price, aggregate amount of the offering, listing on any securities exchange or quotation system, investment considerations and the agents, dealers or underwriters, if any, to be used in connection with the sale of the securities. You should read this prospectus and any supplement or other offering materials carefully before you invest.

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. For a description of these risks, see “Risk Factors” on page 4 of this prospectus and the Risk Factors section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

This prospectus is dated June 30, 2017.

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) utilizing a shelf registration process. Under this shelf process, we may, from time to time, sell either separately or in units any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to an unspecified dollar amount.

 

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement or other offering materials that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. Material federal income tax considerations applicable to the offered securities will also be discussed in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials as necessary. The prospectus supplement or other offering materials may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or other offering materials together with additional information described under the heading WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION. When we use the terms “we”, “our”, “us”, “Dominion Energy” or the “Company” in this prospectus, we are referring to Dominion Energy, Inc.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Our file number with the SEC is 001-08489. Our SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov. You may also read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F. Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room.

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update or supersede this information. We make some of our filings with the SEC on a combined basis with two of our subsidiaries, Virginia Electric and Power Company (Virginia Power) and Dominion Energy Gas Holdings, LLC (Dominion Energy Gas). Our combined filings with the SEC present separate filings by each of Virginia Power, Dominion Energy Gas and the Company. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below (other than any portions of the documents not deemed to be filed) and any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except those portions of filings that relate to Virginia Power or Dominion Energy Gas as a separate registrant, until we sell all of the securities:

 

•

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016;

 

•

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017;

 

•

Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed January 12, 2017, January 24, 2017, January 27, 2017, March 27, 2017, May 10, 2017 and May 18, 2017; and

 

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•

the description of our common stock contained in Amendment No. 2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed August 8, 2016.

 

You may request a copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at: Corporate Secretary, Dominion Energy, Inc., 120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, (804) 819-2000.

 

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or to which this prospectus refers you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus may only be used where it is legal to sell these securities. The information which appears in this prospectus and which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus may only be accurate as of the date of this prospectus or the date of the document in which incorporated information appears. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

 

SAFE HARBOR AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus or other offering materials may contain or incorporate by reference forward-looking statements. Examples include discussions as to our expectations, beliefs, plans, goals, objectives and future financial or other performance. These statements, by their nature, involve estimates, projections, forecasts and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ substantially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements may accompany the statements themselves; generally applicable factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those expressed in the forward-looking statements will be discussed in our reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K incorporated by reference herein and in prospectus supplements and other offering materials.

 

By making forward-looking statements, we are not intending to become obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or other changes. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as at their dates.

 

DOMINION ENERGY

 

Dominion Energy, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia and incorporated in Virginia in 1983, is one of the nation’s largest producers and transporters of energy. Our strategy is to be a leading provider of electricity, natural gas and related services to customers primarily in the eastern and Rocky Mountain regions of the U.S. Our portfolio of assets includes approximately 26,200 megawatts of generating capacity, 6,600 miles of electric transmission lines, 57,600 miles of electric distribution lines, 15,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline and 51,300 miles of gas distribution pipeline, exclusive of service lines. We operate one of the nation’s largest natural gas storage systems with approximately one trillion cubic feet of storage capacity and serve more than six million utility and retail energy customers.

 

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We are focused on expanding our investment in regulated and long-term contracted electric generation, transmission and distribution and regulated natural gas transmission and distribution infrastructure. Our nonregulated operations include merchant generation, energy marketing and price risk management activities and natural gas retail energy marketing operations. Our operations are conducted through various subsidiaries, including (i) Virginia Power, a regulated public utility that generates, transmits and distributes electricity for sale in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, (ii) Dominion Energy Gas, a holding company for the majority of our regulated natural gas businesses, which conducts business activities through a regulated interstate natural gas transmission pipeline and underground storage system, a local, regulated natural gas transportation and distribution network and natural gas gathering and processing facilities, and (iii) Dominion Energy Questar Corporation, a holding company for our primarily regulated natural gas businesses, including retail natural gas distribution in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho and related natural gas development and production. We also own the general partner, 50.9% of the common and subordinated units and 37.5% of the convertible preferred interests in Dominion Energy Midstream Partners, LP, which was formed by us to own and grow a portfolio of natural gas terminaling, processing, storage, transportation and related assets.

 

Our address and telephone number are 120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23219, telephone (804) 819-2000.

 

For additional information about us, see WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION on page 2.

 

RISK FACTORS

 

Investing in our securities involves certain risks. Our business is influenced by many factors that are difficult to predict, involve uncertainties that may materially affect actual results and are often beyond our control. We have identified a number of these factors under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, as well as in other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. In consultation with your own financial and legal advisers, you should carefully consider, among other matters, the discussions of risks that we have incorporated by reference before deciding whether an investment in our securities is suitable for you. See WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION on page 2.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus to finance capital expenditures and future acquisitions and to retire or redeem debt securities issued by us and for other general corporate purposes which may include the repayment of commercial paper and debt under any of our credit facilities.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

 

The term Debt Securities includes the Senior Debt Securities, Junior Subordinated Debentures and Junior Subordinated Notes. We will issue the Senior Debt Securities in one or more series under our Senior Indenture dated as of June 1, 2015 between us and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Trustee, as amended and as supplemented from time to time. We will issue the Junior Subordinated Debentures in one or more series under our Junior Subordinated Indenture dated as of December 1, 1997 between us and The Bank of New York Mellon, successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (formerly known as The Chase Manhattan Bank), as Trustee, as amended and as supplemented from time to time. We will issue Junior Subordinated Notes in one or more series under our Junior Subordinated Notes Indenture dated as of June 1, 2006 between us and The Bank of New York Mellon, successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Trustee, as amended and as supplemented from time to time. The indenture related to the Junior Subordinated Debentures is called the Subordinated Indenture in this prospectus and the indenture related to the Junior Subordinated Notes is called the Subordinated Indenture II; and together the Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture II are called the “Indentures”. We have summarized selected provisions of the Indentures below. The Senior Indenture, the Subordinated Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture II have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement and you should read the Indentures for provisions that may be important to you. In the summary below, we have included references to section numbers of the Indentures so that you can easily locate these provisions. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the Indentures.

 

General

 

The Senior Debt Securities will be our direct, unsecured obligations and will rank equally with all of our other senior and unsubordinated debt, except to the extent provided in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials. The Junior Subordinated Debentures will be our unsecured obligations and are junior in right of payment to our Senior Indebtedness, as described under the caption ADDITIONAL TERMS OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES—Subordination. The Junior Subordinated Notes will be our unsecured obligations and are junior in right of payment to our Priority Indebtedness, as described under the caption ADDITIONAL TERMS OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES—Subordination.

 

Because we are a holding company that conducts all of our operations through our subsidiaries, our ability to meet our obligations under the Debt Securities is dependent on the earnings and cash flows of those subsidiaries and the ability of those subsidiaries to pay dividends or to advance or repay funds to us. Holders of Debt Securities will generally have a junior position to claims of creditors of our subsidiaries, including trade creditors, debtholders, secured creditors, taxing authorities, guarantee holders and any preferred stockholders. As of March 31, 2017, our subsidiaries had approximately $33.5 billion in aggregate principal amount of outstanding long-term debt (including securities due within one year).

 

There is no limit on the amount of Debt Securities or other indebtedness we may issue. We may issue Debt Securities from time to time under the Indentures in one or more series by

 

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entering into supplemental indentures and by our Board of Directors or duly authorized officers authorizing the issuance.

 

The Indentures do not protect the holders of Debt Securities if we incur additional indebtedness or engage in a highly leveraged transaction.

 

Provisions of a Particular Series

 

The Debt Securities of a series need not be issued at the same time, bear interest at the same rate or mature on the same date. Unless otherwise provided in the terms of a series, a series may be reopened, without notice to or consent of any holder of outstanding Debt Securities, for issuances of additional Debt Securities of that series. The prospectus supplement or other offering materials for a particular series of Debt Securities will describe the terms of that series, including, if applicable, some or all of the following:

 

•

the title and type of the Debt Securities;

 

•

the total principal amount of the Debt Securities;

 

•

the portion of the principal payable upon acceleration of maturity, if other than the entire principal;

 

•

the date or dates on which principal is payable or the method for determining the date or dates, and any right that we have to change the date on which principal is payable;

 

•

the interest rate or rates, if any, or the method for determining the rate or rates, and the date or dates from which interest will accrue;

 

•

any interest payment dates and the regular record date for the interest payable on each interest payment date, if any;

 

•

any payments due if the maturity of the Debt Securities is accelerated;

 

•

any optional redemption terms, or any terms regarding repayment at the option of the holder;

 

•

if the Debt Securities are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities, and if so, the conversion terms and conditions;

 

•

any provisions that would obligate us to repurchase, repay or otherwise redeem the Debt Securities, or any sinking fund provisions;

 

•

the currency in which payments will be made if other than U.S. dollars, and the manner of determining the equivalent of those amounts in U.S. dollars;

 

•

if payments may be made, at our election or at the holder’s election, in a currency other than that in which the Debt Securities are stated to be payable, then the currency in which those payments may be made, the terms and conditions of the election and the manner of determining those amounts;

 

•

any index or formula used for determining principal, interest or premium, if any;

 

•

the percentage of the principal amount at which the Debt Securities will be issued, if other than 100% of the principal amount;

 

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whether the Debt Securities will be issued in fully registered certificated form or book-entry form, represented by certificates deposited with the applicable trustee and registered in the name of a securities depositary or its nominee (Book-Entry Debt Securities);

 

•

denominations, if other than $1,000 each or multiples of $1,000;

 

•

any rights that would allow us to defer or extend an interest payment date in connection with any series of Debt Securities;

 

•

any provisions requiring payment of principal or interest in our capital stock or with proceeds from the sale of our capital stock or from any other specific source of funds in connection with any series of Debt Securities;

 

•

the identity of the series trustee, if other than the trustee;

 

•

any changes to events of defaults or covenants;

 

•

if any series of Debt Securities will not be subject to defeasance or covenant defeasance; and

 

•

any other terms of the Debt Securities. (Sections 201 & 301 of the Senior Indenture; Sections 2.1 & 2.3 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

The prospectus supplement will also indicate any special tax implications of the Debt Securities and any provisions granting special rights to holders when a specified event occurs.

 

Conversion or Redemption

 

No Debt Security will be subject to conversion, amortization or redemption, unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials. Any provisions relating to the conversion, amortization or redemption of Debt Securities will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials, including whether conversion, amortization or redemption is mandatory or at our option. If no redemption date or redemption price is indicated with respect to a Debt Security, we may not redeem the Debt Security prior to its stated maturity. Debt Securities subject to redemption by us will be subject to the following terms:

 

•

redeemable on and after the applicable redemption dates;

 

•

redemption dates and redemption prices fixed at the time of sale and set forth on the Debt Security; and

 

•

redeemable in whole or in part (provided that any remaining principal amount of the Debt Security will be equal to an authorized denomination) at our option at the applicable redemption price, together with interest, payable to the date of redemption, on notice given not more than 60 nor less than 20 days prior to the date of redemption. (Section 1104 of the Senior Indenture; Section 3.2 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

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We will not be required to:

 

•

issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any Debt Securities of a series during the period beginning 15 days before the date the Debt Securities of that series are selected for redemption; or

 

•

register the transfer of, or exchange any Debt Security of that series selected for redemption except the unredeemed portion of a Debt Security being partially redeemed. (Section 305 of the Senior Indenture; Section 2.5 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Option to Extend Interest Payment Period

 

If elected in the applicable supplemental indenture, we may defer interest payments on the Debt Securities by extending the interest payment period for the number of consecutive extension periods specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials (each, an Extension Period). Other details regarding the Extension Period, including any limit on our ability to pay dividends during the Extension Period, will also be specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials. No Extension Period may extend beyond the maturity of the applicable series of Debt Securities. At the end of the Extension Period(s), we will pay all interest then accrued and unpaid, together with interest compounded quarterly at the interest rate for the applicable series of Debt Securities, to the extent permitted by applicable law. (Section 301(26) of the Senior Indenture; Section 2.10 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Payment and Transfer; Paying Agent

 

The paying agent will pay the principal of any Debt Securities only if those Debt Securities are surrendered to it. Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials, the paying agent will pay principal, interest and premium, if any, on Debt Securities, subject to such surrender, where applicable, at its office or, at our option:

 

•

by wire transfer to an account at a banking institution in the United States that is designated in writing to the applicable trustee prior to the deadline set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials by the person entitled to that payment (which in the case of Book-Entry Debt Securities is the securities depositary or its nominee); or

 

•

by check mailed to the address of the person entitled to that interest as that address appears in the security register for those Debt Securities. (Sections 307 & 1001 of the Senior Indenture; Section 4.1 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Neither we nor the applicable trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in a Book-Entry Debt Security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to the beneficial ownership interests. We expect that the securities depositary, upon receipt of any payment of principal, interest or premium, if any, in a Book-Entry Debt Security, will credit immediately the accounts of the related participants with payment in

 

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amounts proportionate to their respective holdings in principal amount of beneficial interest in the Book-Entry Debt Security as shown on the records of the securities depositary. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a Book-Entry Debt Security will be governed by standing customer instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of the participants.

 

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials, the applicable trustee will act as paying agent for the Debt Securities, and the principal corporate trust office of the applicable trustee will be the office through which the paying agent acts. We may, however, change or add paying agents or approve a change in the office through which a paying agent acts. (Section 1002 of the Senior Indenture; Section 4.2 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Any money that we have paid to a paying agent for principal or interest on any Debt Securities which remains unclaimed at the end of two years after that principal or interest has become due will be repaid to us at our request. After repayment to the Company, holders should look only to us for those payments. (Section 1003 of the Senior Indenture; Section 12.4 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Fully registered securities may be transferred or exchanged at the corporate trust office of the applicable trustee or at any other office or agency we maintain for those purposes, without the payment of any service charge except for any tax or governmental charge and related expenses. (Section 1002 of the Senior Indenture; Section 2.5 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Global Securities

 

We may issue some or all of the Debt Securities as Book-Entry Debt Securities. Book-Entry Debt Securities will be represented by one or more fully registered global certificates. Book-Entry Debt Securities of like tenor and terms up to $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount may be represented by a single global certificate. Each global certificate will be registered in the name of the securities depositary or its nominee and deposited with the applicable trustee, as agent for the securities depositary. Unless otherwise stated in any prospectus supplement or other offering materials, The Depository Trust Company will act as the securities depositary. Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for Debt Securities in definitive form, a global certificate may generally be transferred only as a whole unless it is being transferred to certain nominees of the securities depositary. (Section 305 of the Senior Indenture; Section 2.5 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Beneficial interests in global certificates will be shown on, and transfers of global certificates will be effected only through, records maintained by the securities depositary and its participants. If there are any additional or differing terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to the Book-Entry Debt Securities, we will describe them in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials.

 

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Holders of beneficial interests in Book-Entry Debt Securities represented by a global certificate are referred to as beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will be limited to institutions having accounts with the securities depositary or its nominee, which are called participants in this discussion, and to persons that hold beneficial interests through participants. When a global certificate representing Book-Entry Debt Securities is issued, the securities depositary will credit on its book-entry, registration and transfer system the principal amounts of Book- Entry Debt Securities the global certificate represents to the accounts of its participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global certificate will be shown only on, and the transfer of those ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by:

 

•

the securities depositary, with respect to participants’ interests; and

 

•

any participant, with respect to interests the participant holds on behalf of other persons.

 

As long as the securities depositary or its nominee is the registered holder of a global certificate representing Book-Entry Debt Securities, that person will be considered the sole owner and holder of the global certificate and the Book-Entry Debt Securities it represents for all purposes. Except in limited circumstances, beneficial owners:

 

•

may not have the global certificate or any Book-Entry Debt Securities it represents registered in their names;

 

•

may not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated Book-Entry Debt Securities in exchange for the global certificate; and

 

•

will not be considered the owners or holders of the global certificate or any Book-Entry Debt Securities it represents for any purposes under the Debt Securities or the Indentures. (Section 308 of the Senior Indenture; Section 8.3 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

We will make all payments of principal, interest and premium, if any, on a Book-Entry Debt Security to the securities depositary or its nominee as the holder of the global certificate. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global certificate.

 

Payments participants make to beneficial owners holding interests through those participants will be the responsibility of those participants. The securities depositary may from time to time adopt various policies and procedures governing payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to beneficial interests in a global certificate. None of the following will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the securities depositary’s or any participant’s records relating to beneficial interests in a global certificate representing Book-Entry Debt Securities, for payments made on account of those beneficial interests or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to those beneficial interests:

 

•

Dominion Energy;

 

•

the applicable trustee; or

 

•

any agent of any of the above.

 

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Covenants

 

Under the Indentures we will:

 

•

pay the principal, interest and premium, if any, on the Debt Securities when due;

 

•

maintain a place of payment;

 

•

deliver an officer’s certificate to the applicable trustee at the end of each fiscal year confirming our compliance with our obligations under each of the Indentures;

 

•

in the case of the Senior Indenture, preserve and keep in full force and effect our corporate existence except as otherwise provided in the Senior Indenture; and

 

•

deposit sufficient funds with any paying agent on or before the due date for any principal, interest or premium, if any. (Sections 1001, 1002, 1003, 1005 & 1006 of the Senior Indenture; Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 & 4.6 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Consolidation, Merger or Sale

 

The Indentures provide that we may not merge or consolidate with any other corporation or sell or convey all or substantially all of our assets to any person or acquire all or substantially all of the assets of another person unless (i) either we are the continuing corporation, or the successor corporation (if other than us) is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or a State thereof or the District of Columbia and such corporation expressly assumes the due and punctual payment of the principal of and interest and other amounts due on the Debt Securities, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of the Indentures to be performed by us by supplemental indenture in form satisfactory to the applicable trustee, executed and delivered to the applicable trustee by such corporation, and (ii) we or such successor corporation, as the case may be, will not, immediately after such merger or consolidation, or such sale or conveyance, be in default in the performance of any such covenant or condition.

 

In case of any such consolidation, merger or conveyance, such successor corporation will succeed to and be substituted for us, with the same effect as if it had been named as us in the applicable Indenture, and in the event of such conveyance (other than by way of a lease), we will be discharged of all of our obligations and covenants under the applicable Indenture and the Debt Securities. (Sections 801 & 802 of the Senior Indenture; Sections 11.1, 11.2 & 11.3 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Events of Default

 

Event of Default when used in each of the Indentures, will mean any of the following with respect to Debt Securities of any series:

 

•

failure to pay the principal or any premium on any Debt Security when due;

 

•

with respect to the Senior Debt Securities, failure to deposit any sinking fund payment for that series when due that continues for 60 days;

 

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•

failure to pay any interest on any Debt Securities of that series, when due, that continues for 60 days (or for 30 days in the case of any Junior Subordinated Debentures or Junior Subordinated Notes, as applicable); provided that, if applicable, for this purpose, the date on which interest is due is the date on which we are required to make payment following any deferral of interest payments by us under the terms of the applicable series of Debt Securities that permit such deferrals;

 

•

failure to perform any other covenant in the Indentures (other than a covenant expressly included solely for the benefit of other series) that continues for 90 days after the applicable trustee or the holders of at least 33% of the outstanding Debt Securities (25% in the case of the Junior Subordinated Debentures or Junior Subordinated Notes, as applicable) of that series give written notice of the default;

 

•

certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of Dominion Energy; or

 

•

any other Event of Default included in the Indentures or any supplemental indenture. (Section 501 of the Senior Indenture; Section 6.1 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

In the case of a general covenant default described above, the applicable trustee may extend the grace period. In addition, if holders of a particular series have given a notice of default, then holders of at least the same percentage of Debt Securities of that series, together with the applicable trustee, may also extend the grace period. The grace period will be automatically extended if we have initiated and are diligently pursuing corrective action.

 

An Event of Default for a particular series of Debt Securities does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of Debt Securities issued under the Indentures. Additional events of default may be established for a particular series and, if established, will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials.

 

If an Event of Default for any series of Debt Securities occurs and continues, the applicable trustee or the holders of at least 33% (25%, in the case of the Junior Subordinated Debentures or Junior Subordinated Notes, as applicable) in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities of the series may declare the entire principal of all the Debt Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. If this happens, subject to certain conditions, the holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities of that series can void the declaration. (Section 502 of the Senior Indenture; Section 6.1 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

The applicable trustee may withhold notice to the holders of Debt Securities of any default (except in the payment of principal or interest) if it considers the withholding of notice to be in the best interests of the holders. Other than its duties in case of a default, a Trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under the Indentures at the request, order or direction of any holders, unless the holders offer the applicable trustee reasonable indemnity. If they provide this reasonable indemnification, the holders of a majority in principal amount of any series of Debt Securities may direct the time, method and place of

 

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conducting any proceeding or any remedy available to the applicable trustee, or exercising any power conferred upon the applicable trustee, for any series of Debt Securities. However, the applicable trustee must give the holders of Debt Securities notice of any default to the extent provided by the Trust Indenture Act. (Sections 512, 601, 602 & 603 of the Senior Indenture; Sections 6.6, 6.7, 7.1 & 7.2 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

The holder of any Debt Security will have an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment of the principal, any premium and, within certain limitations, any interest on that Debt Security on its maturity date or redemption date and to enforce those payments. (Section 508 of the Senior Indenture; Section 14.2 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Satisfaction; Discharge

 

We may discharge all our obligations (except those described below) to holders of the Debt Securities issued under the Indentures, which Debt Securities have not already been delivered to the applicable trustee for cancellation and which either have become due and payable or are by their terms due and payable within one year, or are to be called for redemption within one year, by depositing with the applicable trustee an amount certified to be sufficient to pay when due the principal, interest and premium, if any, on all outstanding Debt Securities. However, certain of our obligations under the Indentures will survive, including with respect to the following:

 

•

remaining rights to register the transfer, conversion, substitution or exchange of Debt Securities of the applicable series;

 

•

rights of holders to receive payments of principal of, and any interest on, the Debt Securities of the applicable series, and other rights, duties and obligations of the holders of Debt Securities with respect to any amounts deposited with the applicable trustee; and

 

•

the rights, obligations and immunities of the applicable trustee under the Indentures. (Section 401 of the Senior Indenture; Section 12.1 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Under federal income tax law as of the date of this prospectus, a discharge under these circumstances may be treated as an exchange of the related Debt Securities. Each holder might be required to recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the holder’s cost or other tax basis for the Debt Securities and the value of the holder’s interest in the amounts deposited with the applicable trustee. Holders might be required to include as income a different amount than would be includable without the discharge. We urge prospective investors to consult their own tax advisors as to the consequences of a discharge, including the applicability and effect of tax laws other than federal income tax law.

 

Defeasance

 

Unless we elect differently in the applicable supplemental indenture, we will be discharged from our obligations on the Senior Debt Securities or Junior Subordinated Notes of

 

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any series, as applicable, at any time if we deposit with the applicable trustee sufficient cash or government securities to pay the principal, interest, any premium and any other sums due to the stated maturity date or a redemption date of the Senior Debt Securities and Junior Subordinated Notes of the series. If this happens, the holders of the Senior Debt Securities or Junior Subordinated Notes of the series, as applicable, will not be entitled to the benefits of either the Senior Indenture or the Subordinated Indenture II, as applicable, except for registration of transfer and exchange of Senior Debt Securities or Junior Subordinated Notes, as applicable, and replacement of lost, stolen or mutilated Senior Debt Securities or Junior Subordinated Notes, as applicable. (Section 402 of the Senior Indenture; Section 12.5 of the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Under federal income tax law as of the date of this prospectus, a discharge under these circumstances may be treated as an exchange of the related Senior Debt Securities or Junior Subordinated Notes, as applicable. Each holder might be required to recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the holder’s cost or other tax basis for the Senior Debt Securities or Junior Subordinated Notes, as applicable, and the value of the holder’s interest in the defeasance trust. Holders might be required to include as income a different amount than would be includable without the discharge. We urge prospective investors to consult their own tax advisors as to the consequences of such a discharge, including the applicability and effect of tax laws other than federal income tax law.

 

Modification of Indentures; Waiver

 

Under the Indentures our rights and obligations and the rights of the holders may be modified with the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of each series affected by the modification. No modification of the principal or interest payment terms, and no modification reducing the percentage required for modifications, is effective against any holder without its consent. (Section 902 of the Senior Indenture; Section 10.2 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.) In addition, we may supplement the Indentures to create new series of Debt Securities and for certain other purposes, without the consent of any holders of Debt Securities. (Section 901 of the Senior Indenture; Section 10.1 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

The holders of a majority of the outstanding Debt Securities of all series under the applicable Indenture with respect to which a default has occurred and is continuing may waive a default for all those series, except a default in the payment of principal or interest, or any premium, on any Debt Securities or a default with respect to a covenant or provision which cannot be amended or modified without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Debt Security of the series affected. (Section 513 of the Senior Indenture; Section 6.6 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

In addition, under certain circumstances, the holders of a majority of the outstanding Junior Subordinated Debentures or Junior Subordinated Notes of any series, as applicable, may waive in advance, for that series, our compliance with certain restrictive provisions of the

 

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Subordinated Indenture or the Subordinated Indenture II under which those Junior Subordinated Debentures or Junior Subordinated Notes, as applicable, were issued. (Section 4.7 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Concerning the Trustees

 

Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas is the Trustee under the Senior Indenture. We and certain of our affiliates maintain deposit accounts and banking relationships with Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas also serves as trustee under other indentures pursuant to which securities of certain of our affiliates are outstanding. Affiliates of Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas have purchased, and are likely to purchase in the future, our securities and securities of our affiliates.

 

As Trustee under the Senior Indenture, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas will perform only those duties that are specifically described in the Senior Indenture unless an event of default under the Senior Indenture occurs and is continuing. It is under no obligation to exercise any of its powers under the Senior Indenture at the request of any holder of Senior Debt Securities unless that holder offers reasonable indemnity to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which it might incur as a result. (Section 601 of the Senior Indenture.)

 

The Senior Indenture permits us to name a different trustee for individual series of Senior Debt Securities. If named, a series trustee performs the duties that would otherwise be performed by the Trustee under the Senior Indenture with respect to that series; the series trustee will have no greater liabilities or obligations and will be entitled to all the rights and exculpations with respect to such series that would otherwise be available to the Trustee under the Senior Indenture. If a series trustee is named, information about any series trustee will be disclosed in the prospectus supplement and the Trustee under the Senior Indenture will have no responsibility with respect to that series.

 

Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas administers its corporate trust business at 60 Wall Street, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10005 or such other address as it may notify to the Company from time to time.

 

The Bank of New York Mellon, successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., is the Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture II. We and certain of our affiliates maintain deposit accounts and banking relationships with The Bank of New York Mellon. The Bank of New York Mellon also serves as trustee under other indentures pursuant to which securities of ours and of certain of our affiliates are outstanding. Affiliates of The Bank of New York Mellon have purchased, and are likely to purchase in the future, our securities and securities of our affiliates.

 

As Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture II, The Bank of New York Mellon will perform only those duties that are specifically described in the Subordinated Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture II unless an event of default under either indenture occurs and is continuing. It is under no obligation to exercise any of its powers under the Indentures at the request of any holder of Junior Subordinated Debenture or

 

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Junior Subordinated Notes unless that holder offers reasonable indemnity to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which it might incur as a result. (Section 7.1 of the Subordinated Indenture & the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

The Subordinated Indenture II permits us to name a different trustee for individual series of Junior Subordinated Notes. If named, a series trustee performs the duties that would otherwise be performed by the Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture II with respect to that series; the series trustee will have no greater liabilities or obligations and will be entitled to all the rights and exculpations with respect to such series that would otherwise be available to the Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture II. If a series trustee is named, information about any series trustee will be disclosed in the prospectus supplement and the Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture II will have no responsibility with respect to that series.

 

The Bank of New York Mellon administers its corporate trust business at 101 Barclay Street, 7W ATTN: Corporate Trust Administration, New York, New York 10286 or such other address as it may notify to the Company from time to time.

 

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF THE SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES

 

Repayment at the Option of the Holder

 

We must repay the Senior Debt Securities at the option of the holders prior to the Stated Maturity Date only if specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials. Unless otherwise provided in the prospectus supplement or other offering materials, the Senior Debt Securities subject to repayment at the option of the holder will be subject to repayment:

 

•

on the specified Repayment Dates; and

 

•

at a repayment price equal to 100% of the unpaid principal amount to be repaid, together with unpaid interest accrued to the Repayment Date. (Section 1302 of the Senior Indenture.)

 

For any Senior Debt Security to be repaid, the Trustee must receive, at its office maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, New York City not more than 180 nor less than 60 calendar days prior to the date of repayment:

 

•

in the case of a certificated Senior Debt Security, the certificated Senior Debt Security and the form in the Senior Debt Security entitled Option of Holder to Elect Purchase duly completed; or

 

•

in the case of a book-entry Senior Debt Security, instructions to that effect from the beneficial owner to the securities depositary and forwarded by the securities depositary. Exercise of the repayment option by the holder will be irrevocable. (Section 1303 of the Senior Indenture.)

 

Only the securities depositary may exercise the repayment option in respect of beneficial interests in the book-entry Senior Debt Securities. Accordingly, beneficial owners that desire repayment in respect of all or any portion of their beneficial interests must instruct the

 

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participants through which they own their interests to direct the securities depositary to exercise the repayment option on their behalf. All instructions given to participants from beneficial owners relating to the option to elect repayment will be irrevocable. In addition, at the time the instructions are given, each beneficial owner will cause the participant through which it owns its interest to transfer its interest in the book-entry Senior Debt Securities or the global certificate representing the related book-entry Senior Debt Securities, on the securities depositary’s records, to the Trustee. See DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES—Global Securities.

 

Limitation on Liens

 

While any of the Senior Debt Securities are outstanding (other than those to which the limitation on liens covenant is expressly inapplicable), we are not permitted to create liens upon any Principal Property (as defined below) or upon any shares of stock of any Material Subsidiary (as defined below), which we now own or will own in the future, to secure any of our debt, unless at the same time we provide that the Senior Debt Securities will also be secured by that lien on an equal and ratable basis. However, we are generally permitted to create the following types of liens:

 

(1)

purchase money liens on future property acquired by us; liens of any kind existing on property or shares of stock or other securities at the time they are acquired by us; conditional sales agreements and other title retention agreements on future property acquired by us (as long as none of those liens cover any of our other properties);

 

(2)

liens on our property or any shares of stock or other securities of any Material Subsidiary that existed as of the date the Senior Debt Securities were first issued; liens on the shares of stock or other securities of any legal entity, which liens existed at the time that entity became a Material Subsidiary; certain liens typically incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(3)

liens in favor of the United States (or any State), any foreign country or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of those jurisdictions, to secure payments pursuant to any contract or statute or to secure any debt incurred for the purpose of financing the purchase price or the cost of constructing or improving the property subject to those liens, including, for example liens to secure debt of the pollution control or industrial revenue bond type;

 

(4)

debt that we may issue in connection with a consolidation or merger of Dominion Energy or any Material Subsidiary with or into any other company (including any of our affiliates or Material Subsidiaries) in exchange for secured debt of that company (Third Party Debt) as long as that debt (i) is secured by a mortgage on all or a portion of the property of that company, (ii) prohibits secured debt from being incurred by that company, unless the Third Party Debt is secured on an equal and ratable basis, or (iii) prohibits secured debt from being incurred by that company;

 

(5)

debt of another company that we must assume in connection with a consolidation or merger of that company, with respect to which any of our property is subjected to a lien;

 

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(6)

liens on any property that we acquire, construct, develop or improve after the date the Senior Debt Securities are first issued that are created before or within 18 months after the acquisition, construction, development or improvement of the property and secure the payment of the purchase price or related costs;

 

(7)

liens in favor of us, our Material Subsidiaries or our wholly-owned subsidiaries;

 

(8)

the replacement, extension or renewal of any lien referred to above in clauses (1) through (7) as long as the amount secured by the liens or the property subject to the liens is not increased; and

 

(9)

any other lien not covered by clauses (1) through (8) above as long as immediately after the creation of the lien the aggregate principal amount of debt secured by all liens created or assumed under this clause (9) does not exceed 10% of the common shareholders’ equity, as shown on the company’s consolidated balance sheet for the accounting period occurring immediately prior to the creation or assumption of such lien.

 

When we use the term “lien” in this section, we mean any mortgage, lien, pledge, security interest or other encumbrance of any kind; “Material Subsidiary” means each of our subsidiaries whose total assets (as determined in accordance with GAAP in the United States) represent at least 20% of our total assets on a consolidated basis; and “Principal Property” means any of our plants or facilities located in the United States that in the opinion of our Board or management is of material importance to the business conducted by us and our consolidated subsidiaries taken as whole. (Section 1008 of the Senior Indenture.)

 

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES

 

Subordination

 

Each series of Junior Subordinated Debentures will be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent set forth in the Subordinated Indenture, to all Senior Indebtedness as defined below. If:

 

•

we make a payment or distribution of any of our assets to creditors upon our dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization, whether in bankruptcy, insolvency or otherwise;

 

•

a default beyond any grace period has occurred and is continuing with respect to the payment of principal, interest or any other monetary amounts due and payable on any Senior Indebtedness; or

 

•

the maturity of any Senior Indebtedness has been accelerated because of a default on that Senior Indebtedness;

 

then the holders of Senior Indebtedness generally will have the right to receive payment, in the case of the first instance, of all amounts due or to become due upon that Senior Indebtedness, and, in the case of the second and third instances, of all amounts due on that Senior Indebtedness, or we will make provision for those payments, before the holders of any Junior Subordinated Debentures have the right to receive any payments of principal or interest on their Junior Subordinated Debentures. (Sections 14.1 & 14.9 of the Subordinated Indenture.)

 

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Senior Indebtedness means, with respect to any series of Junior Subordinated Debentures, the principal, premium, interest and any other payment in respect of any of the following, unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement or offering materials:

 

•

all of our current and future indebtedness for borrowed or purchase money or other similar instruments whether or not evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other written instruments;

 

•

our obligations for reimbursement under letters of credit, banker’s acceptances, security purchase facilities or similar facilities issued for our account;

 

•

any of our other indebtedness or obligations with respect to derivative contracts, including commodity contracts, interest rate, commodity and currency swap agreements, forward contracts and other similar agreements or arrangements; and

 

•

all indebtedness of others of the kinds described in the preceding categories which we have assumed or guaranteed.

 

Senior Indebtedness will not include our obligations to trade creditors or indebtedness to our subsidiaries. (Section 1.1 of the Subordinated Indenture.)

 

Senior Indebtedness will be entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions in the Subordinated Indenture irrespective of the amendment, modification or waiver of any term of the Senior Indebtedness. We may not amend the Subordinated Indenture to change the subordination of any outstanding Junior Subordinated Debentures without the consent of each holder of Senior Indebtedness that the amendment would adversely affect. (Sections 10.2 & 14.7 of the Subordinated Indenture.)

 

The Subordinated Indenture does not limit the amount of Senior Indebtedness that we may issue.

 

ADDITIONAL TERMS OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES

 

Subordination

 

Each series of Junior Subordinated Notes will be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent set forth in the Subordinated Indenture II, to all Priority Indebtedness as defined below. If:

 

•

we make a payment or distribution of any of our assets to creditors upon our dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization, whether in bankruptcy, insolvency or otherwise;

 

•

a default beyond any grace period has occurred and is continuing with respect to the payment of principal, interest or any other monetary amounts due and payable on any Priority Indebtedness; or

 

•

the maturity of any Priority Indebtedness has been accelerated because of a default on that Priority Indebtedness unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement and offering materials;

 

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then the holders of Priority Indebtedness generally will have the right to receive payment, in the case of the first instance, of all amounts due or to become due upon that Priority Indebtedness, and, in the case of the second and third instances, of all amounts due on that Priority Indebtedness, or we will make provision for those payments, before the holders of any Junior Subordinated Notes have the right to receive any payments of principal or interest on their Junior Subordinated Notes. (Sections 14.1 & 14.9 of the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Priority Indebtedness means, with respect to any series of Junior Subordinated Notes, the principal, premium, interest and any other payment in respect of any of the following:

 

•

all of our current and future indebtedness for borrowed or purchase money whether or not evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or other similar written instruments;

 

•

our obligations under synthetic leases, finance leases and capitalized leases;

 

•

our obligations for reimbursement under letters of credit, banker’s acceptances, security purchase facilities or similar facilities issued for our account;

 

•

any of our other indebtedness or obligations with respect to derivative contracts, including commodity contracts, interest rate, commodity and currency swap agreements, forward contracts and other similar agreements or arrangements; and

 

•

all indebtedness of others of the kinds described in the preceding categories which we have assumed or guaranteed.

 

Priority Indebtedness will not include trade accounts payable, accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business or indebtedness to our subsidiaries. (Section 1.1 of the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

Priority Indebtedness will be entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions in the Subordinated Indenture II irrespective of the amendment, modification or waiver of any term of the Priority Indebtedness. We may not amend the Subordinated Indenture II to change the subordination of any outstanding Priority Indebtedness without the consent of each holder of Priority Indebtedness that the amendment would adversely affect. (Sections 10.2 & 14.7 of the Subordinated Indenture II.)

 

The Subordinated Indenture II does not limit the amount of Priority Indebtedness that we may issue.

 

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

 

As of March 31, 2017, our authorized capital stock was 1.02 billion shares. Those shares consisted of 20 million shares of preferred stock and one billion shares of common stock. As of March 31, 2017, approximately 629 million shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock were issued and outstanding. No holder of shares of common stock or preferred stock has any preemptive rights.

 

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Common Stock

 

Listing

 

Our outstanding shares of common stock are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “D”. Any additional common stock we issue will also be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

Dividends

 

Common shareholders may receive dividends when declared by the Board of Directors. Dividends may be paid in cash, stock or other form. In certain cases, common shareholders may not receive dividends until we have satisfied our obligations to any preferred shareholders. Under certain circumstances, if specified in the applicable supplemental indenture, the Indentures may restrict our ability to pay cash dividends.

 

Authorized But Unissued Shares

 

Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock will be available for future issuance without shareholder approval. These additional shares may be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future public offerings to raise additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued shares of common stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the Company by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.

 

Fully Paid

 

All outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and non-assessable. Any additional common stock we issue will also be fully paid and non-assessable.

 

Voting Rights

 

Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote in the election of directors and other matters. Common shareholders are not entitled to cumulative voting rights.

 

Other Rights

 

We will notify common shareholders of any shareholders’ meetings according to applicable law. If we liquidate, dissolve or wind up our business, either voluntarily or not, common shareholders will share equally in the assets remaining after we pay our creditors and preferred shareholders.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc. is transfer agent and registrar for our common stock.

 

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Preferred Stock

 

The following description of the terms of the preferred stock sets forth certain general terms and provisions of our authorized preferred stock. If we issue preferred stock, the specific designations and rights will be described in the prospectus supplement or other offering materials and a description will be filed with the SEC.

 

Our Board of Directors can, without approval of shareholders, issue one or more series of preferred stock. The Board of Directors can also determine the number of shares of each series and the rights, preferences and limitations of each series including the dividend rights, voting rights, conversion rights, redemption rights and any liquidation preferences, the number of shares constituting each series and the terms and conditions of issue. In some cases, the issuance of preferred stock could delay a change in control of the Company and make it harder to remove present management. Under certain circumstances, preferred stock could also restrict dividend payments to holders of our common stock.

 

The preferred stock will, when issued, be fully paid and non-assessable. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials, the preferred stock will rank on a parity in all respects with any outstanding preferred stock we may have and will have priority over our common stock as to dividends and distributions of assets. Therefore, the rights of any preferred stock that may subsequently be issued may limit the rights of the holders of our common stock and preferred stock.

 

The transfer agent, registrar, and dividend disbursement agent for a series of preferred stock will be named in a prospectus supplement or other offering materials. The registrar for shares of preferred stock will send notices to shareholders of any meetings at which holders of the preferred stock have the right to elect directors or to vote on any other matter.

 

VIRGINIA STOCK CORPORATION ACT AND THE ARTICLES AND THE BYLAWS

 

General

 

We are a Virginia corporation subject to the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (the Virginia Act). Provisions of the Virginia Act, in addition to provisions of our Articles of Incorporation (Articles) and Bylaws, address corporate governance issues, including the rights of shareholders. Some of these provisions could hinder management changes while others could have an anti- takeover effect. This anti-takeover effect may, in some circumstances, reduce the control premium that might otherwise be reflected in the value of our common stock. If you are buying this stock as part of a short-term investment strategy, this might be especially important to you.

 

We have summarized the key provisions below. You should read the actual provisions of our Articles and Bylaws and the Virginia Act that relate to your individual investment strategy.

 

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Business Combinations

 

Our Articles require that any merger, share exchange or sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company be approved by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter by each voting group entitled to vote on the matter. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome.

 

Article 14 of the Virginia Act contains several provisions relating to transactions with interested shareholders. Interested shareholders are holders of more than 10% of any class of a corporation’s outstanding voting shares. Transactions between a corporation and an interested shareholder are referred to as affiliated transactions. The Virginia Act requires that material affiliated transactions must be approved by at least two-thirds of the shareholders not including the interested shareholder. Affiliated transactions requiring this two-thirds approval include mergers, share exchanges, material dispositions of corporate assets, dissolution or any reclassification of securities or merger of the corporation with any of its subsidiaries which increases the percentage of voting shares owned by an interested shareholder by more than five percent.

 

For three years following the time that a shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, a Virginia corporation cannot engage in an affiliated transaction with the interested shareholder without approval of two-thirds of the disinterested voting shares and majority approval of disinterested directors. A disinterested director is a director who was a director on the date on which an interested shareholder became an interested shareholder or was recommended for election or elected by a majority of the disinterested directors then on the board. After three years, an affiliated transaction must be approved by either two-thirds of disinterested voting shares or a majority of disinterested directors.

 

The provisions of the Virginia Act relating to affiliated transactions do not apply if a majority of disinterested directors approve the acquisition of shares making a person an interested shareholder.

 

The Virginia Act permits corporations to opt out of the affiliated transactions provisions. We have not opted out.

 

The Virginia Act also contains provisions regulating certain control share acquisitions, which are transactions causing the voting strength of any person acquiring beneficial ownership of shares of a public corporation in Virginia to meet or exceed certain threshold voting percentages (20%, 33 ¹/₃%, or 50%). Shares acquired in a control share acquisition have no voting rights unless the voting rights are granted by a majority vote of all outstanding shares other than those held by the acquiring person or any officer or employee-director of the corporation. The acquiring person may require that a special meeting of the shareholders be held to consider the grant of voting rights to the shares acquired in the control share acquisition.

 

Our Bylaws give us the right to redeem the shares purchased by an acquiring person in a control share acquisition. We can do this if the acquiring person fails to deliver a statement to us listing information required by the Virginia Act or if our shareholders vote not to grant voting rights to the acquiring person.

 

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The Virginia Act permits corporations to opt out of the control share acquisition provisions. We have not opted out.

 

Directors’ Duties

 

The standards of conduct for directors of Virginia corporations are listed in Section 13.1-690 of the Virginia Act. Directors must discharge their duties in accordance with their good faith business judgment of the best interests of the corporation. Directors may rely on the advice or acts of others, including officers, employees, attorneys, accountants and board committees if they have a good faith belief in their competence. Directors’ actions are not subject to a reasonableness or prudent person standard. Virginia’s federal and state courts have focused on the process involved with directors’ decision-making and are generally supportive of directors if they have based their decision on an informed process. These elements of Virginia law could make it more difficult to take over a Virginia corporation than corporations in other states.

 

Board of Directors

 

Members of our Board of Directors serve one-year terms and are elected annually. Except when the number of nominees exceeds the number of directors to be elected (a contested election), directors are elected by majority vote. In the case of a contested election, directors are elected by a plurality vote. Directors may be removed from office for cause if the number of votes cast to remove the director constitutes a majority of the votes entitled to be cast at an election of directors of the voting group by which the director was elected.

 

Shareholder Proposals and Director Nominations

 

Our shareholders can submit shareholder proposals and nominate candidates for the Board of Directors if the shareholders follow advance notice procedures described in our Bylaws.

 

To nominate directors, shareholders must submit a written notice to our corporate secretary at least 60 days before a scheduled meeting. The notice must include the name and address of the shareholder and of the nominee, a description of any arrangements between the shareholder and the nominee, information about the nominee required by the SEC, the written consent of the nominee to serve as a director and other information.

 

Shareholder proposals must be submitted to our corporate secretary at least 90 days before the first anniversary of the date of our last annual meeting. The notice must include a description of the proposal, the reasons for presenting the proposal at the annual meeting, the text of any resolutions to be presented, the shareholder’s name and address and number of shares held and any material interest of the shareholder in the proposal.

 

Director nominations and shareholder proposals that are late or that do not include all required information may be rejected. This could prevent shareholders from bringing certain matters before an annual or special meeting, including making nominations for directors.

 

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Proxy Access

 

Our Bylaws permit a shareholder, or a group of up to 20 shareholders, owning 3% or more of our outstanding common stock continuously for at least three years, to nominate and include in our annual meeting proxy materials director candidates to occupy up to two or 20% of our board seats (whichever is greater), provided that such shareholder or group of shareholders satisfies the requirements set forth in the Bylaws.

 

Meetings of Shareholders

 

Under our Bylaws, meetings of the shareholders may be called by the chairman of the board, the vice chairman, the president or a majority of the Board of Directors. Special meetings of shareholders will also be held whenever called by the Corporate Secretary, upon the written request of shareholders owning continuously for a period of at least one year prior to the date of such request more than one-third of all of our outstanding shares of common stock. These provisions could have the effect of delaying until the next annual shareholders’ meeting shareholder actions which are favored by the holders of less than one-third of our outstanding shares of common stock, because such holders would be able to take action as shareholders, such as electing new directors or approving a merger, only at a duly called shareholders’ meeting.

 

Amendment of Articles

 

Generally, our Articles may be amended if the votes cast favoring the amendment exceed the votes cast opposing the amendment at a meeting where a quorum is present. Some provisions of the Articles, however, may only be amended or repealed by a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter by each voting group entitled to vote on the matter.

 

Indemnification

 

Under our Articles, we indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted under Virginia law against all liabilities incurred in connection with their service to us. We have also entered into agreements relating to the advancement of expenses for certain of our directors and officers in advance of a final disposition of proceedings or the making of any determination of eligibility for indemnification pursuant to our Articles.

 

Limitation of Liability

 

Our Articles provide that our directors and officers will not be personally liable for monetary damages to us for breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors or officers, unless they violated their duty of loyalty to us or our shareholders, acted in bad faith, knowingly or intentionally violated the law, authorized illegal dividends or redemptions or derived an improper personal benefit from their action as directors or officers. This provision applies only to claims against directors or officers arising out of their role as directors or officers and not in any other capacity. Directors and officers remain liable for violations of the federal securities laws and we retain the right to pursue legal remedies other than monetary damages, such as an injunction or rescission for breach of the officer’s or director’s duty of care.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND STOCK PURCHASE UNITS

 

We may issue stock purchase contracts, including contracts obligating holders to purchase from us, and us to sell to the holders, a specified or varying number of shares of common stock or preferred stock at a future date or dates, which we refer to in this prospectus as stock purchase contracts. Alternatively, the stock purchase contracts may obligate us to purchase from holders, and obligate holders to sell to us, a specified or varying number of shares of common stock or preferred stock. The price per share of common stock or preferred stock and the number of shares of common stock or preferred stock may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula or method set forth in the stock purchase contracts. The stock purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of units consisting of a stock purchase contract and beneficial interests in debt securities, preferred stock or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. treasury securities or obligations of our subsidiaries, securing the holders’ obligations to purchase the common stock or preferred stock under the stock purchase contracts, which we refer to in this prospectus as stock purchase units. The stock purchase contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the stock purchase units or vice versa, and these payments may be unsecured or refunded and may be paid on a current or on a deferred basis. The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations under those contracts in a specified manner.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials will describe the terms of the stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units and will contain a discussion of the material federal income tax considerations applicable to the stock purchase contracts and stock purchase units. The description in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials will not necessarily be complete, and reference will be made for additional information to the purchase contract agreement or unit purchase agreement, as applicable, that we will enter into at the time of issue, and, if applicable, collateral or depositary arrangements, relating to the stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units.

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may sell the securities being offered hereby in any one or more of the following ways:

 

•

directly to purchasers;

 

•

through agents;

 

•

to or through underwriters; or

 

•

through dealers.

 

We may distribute the securities from time to time in one or more transactions at:

 

•

a fixed price or prices, which may be changed;

 

•

market prices prevailing at the time of sale;

 

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•

prices related to prevailing market prices; or

 

•

negotiated prices.

 

We may directly solicit offers to purchase securities, or we may designate agents to solicit such offers. We will, in the prospectus supplement or other offering materials relating to such offering, name any agent that could be viewed as an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and describe any commissions we must pay. Any such agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment or, if indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials, on a firm commitment basis. Agents, dealers and underwriters may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.

 

If any underwriters or agents are utilized in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will enter into an underwriting agreement or other agreement with them at the time of sale to them, and we will set forth in the prospectus supplement or other offering materials relating to such offering their names and the terms of our agreement with them.

 

If a dealer is utilized in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will sell such securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell such securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of resale.

 

We may engage in at-the-market offerings to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise, in accordance with Rule 415(a)(4). An at-the-market offering may be through an underwriter or underwriters acting as principal or agent for us.

 

The securities may also be offered and sold, if so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials, in connection with a remarketing upon their purchase, in accordance with a redemption or repayment pursuant to their terms, or otherwise, by one or more remarketing firms, acting as principals for their own accounts or as agents for us. Any remarketing firm will be identified and the terms of its agreement, if any, with us and its compensation will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials.

 

Remarketing firms, agents, underwriters and dealers may be entitled under agreements which they may enter into with us to indemnification by us against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.

 

In order to facilitate the offering of the securities, any underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the securities or any other securities the prices of which may be used to determine payments on such securities. Specifically, any underwriters may over-allot in connection with the offering, creating a short position for their own accounts. In addition, to cover over-allotments or to stabilize the price of the securities or of any such other securities, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase,

 

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the securities or any such other securities in the open market. Finally, in any offering of the securities through a syndicate of underwriters, the underwriting syndicate may reclaim selling concessions allowed to an underwriter or a dealer for distributing the securities in the offering if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover syndicate short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities above independent market levels. Any such underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.

 

We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third parties may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of securities, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of securities. The third parties in such sale transactions will be underwriters and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement or other offering materials (or a post-effective amendment).

 

We or one of our affiliates may loan or pledge securities to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the securities using this prospectus. Such financial institution or third party may transfer its short position to investors in our securities or in connection with a simultaneous offering of other securities offered by this prospectus or otherwise.

 

Any underwriter, agent or dealer utilized in the initial offering of securities will not confirm sales to accounts over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of its customer.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

McGuireWoods LLP, counsel to the Company, will issue an opinion about the legality of the offered securities for us. Underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, who we will identify in a prospectus supplement or other offering materials, may have their counsel pass upon certain legal matters in connection with the securities offered by this prospectus.

 

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EXPERTS

 

The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from Dominion Energy, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and the effectiveness of the Dominion Energy, Inc. and subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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