The investor-owned member electric companies of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) play a critical role in powering the lives of nearly 250 million Americans each day. Throughout 2025, EEI’s member companies showcased how they are working for their communities by helping to lower costs, supporting the nation’s economic growth, strengthening the energy grid, and investing in the future.

See below for some of the ways EEI member companies have showcased their commitment to their communities and workforces. EEI also will be sharing these stories on our social channels as we count down to 2026—find them on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Entergy: Data Center Drives Down Local Rates

As more AI data centers connect to the grid, Entergy showcases how the projects it powers will create direct benefits not just for customers, but for residents of the states it serves for generations to come.

Duke Energy: Significant Progress Restoring the Grid After Hurricane Helene

One year after Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, N.C., Duke Energy highlights the significant progress made by its lineworkers to restrengthen the grid.

Exelon: Customer Relief Program Benefits Customers and Local Businesses

Exelon’s Customer Relief Fund helps low-income customers, which in turn benefits local businesses in its service territories—including Midnite Confections + Cupcakery in Baltimore, Md.

Puget Sound Energy: Apprenticeships Lead to Full-Time Employment

Puget Sound Energy’s Pathways to Apprenticeship series shares the different apprenticeships offered by the company, and features employees sharing their favorite parts of the job.

Pacific Gas & Electric: Customer Dollars Directly Contribute to Infrastructure Reliability

Through their “Your Energy Dollars at Work” series, Pacific Gas & Electric highlights how customers’ dollars directly contribute to infrastructure projects that keep the energy system safe, reliable, and climate-resilient.

Xcel Energy: Reliable Energy Powers Local Businesses Like Red Wings Shoes

For more than a century, Xcel Energy’s reliable, essential energy has powered the production of Red Wings Shoes’ high-quality leather boots. 

American Electric Power: Drones Help Power Reliability for Customers

The integration of drone technology has transformed how AEP Ohio maintains the grid—helping to prevent and shorten outages, improving operational efficiency, and keeping its crews and communities safe. 

Arizona Public Service: Employees Provide Live Bill Assistance During Phone Bank

In Summer 2025, Arizona Public Service partnered with local media to host a live phone bank, where employees took customer calls, answered questions, and offered on-the-spot ways to save on energy bills.

Con Edison: Reliable Service Keeps a Favorite Local Business Running

Mamitas, a local favorite in New York, depends on Con Edison’s reliable energy service to keep its equipment running smoothly and its freezers cold, so it can produce its fan-favorite ice pops.

This National Ice Cream Day, we’re honoring Mamita’s Ices — a 25-year NYC family business rooted in Dominican tradition. See how reliable energy keeps their sweet moments refreshingly cool everywhere: https://t.co/xT6MZRlrq7 pic.twitter.com/Py9vKfOrb9

— Con Edison (@ConEdison) July 20, 2025

Ameren – Restoring Customer Power After a Tornado Event

After a tornado hit Ameren’s service territory earlier this year, impacting energy infrastructure and customer homes and businesses, the company deployed 1,900 workers to quickly and safely restore power.

Hawaiian Electric: Employees Are the Fabric of the Community

Hawaiian Electric’s employees make up the fabric of the community and its commitment to its customers—including Mikey Burke and Kaulana Anderson, who were impacted by the Lahaina fires. 

ITC Transmission: Restoring Transmission Service After Severe Winter Weather

After severe winter weather swept across Michigan and affected 23 transmission lines and 17 substations, ITC Transmission crews coordinated with local partners and worked around the clock to safely and quickly restore transmission service.

OG&E: A Career Journey in Energy, From Internship to Engineering

Anne and Ayden share their OG&E career journeys from internships to full-time positions in engineering and operations. 

Southern Company: Making Significant Investments to Meet Demand Growth

Southern Company highlights the investments made in advanced technologies and renewable energy to meet the significant demand growth in its service territories. 

NorthWestern Energy – Osprey Conservation Work Featured in Children’s Book

NorthWestern Energy Content Development Specialist Erin wrote Oliver the Osprey, a children’s book that highlights the osprey conservation work NorthWestern Energy provides to help the company deliver a critical service and maintain reliability. 

November 13 marked the fourth annual EmPOWERING Pro Bono Day, and several members of EEI’s legal team participated by joining the AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly to provide free assistance to community members. These attorneys helped clients sign up for utility and bill assistance services and ensured the clients understood the required paperwork.

“It was great to be able to help and connect with our neighbors. Assisting the community in completing Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and utility assistance applications and public benefits checkups is an important service. We were able to help the participants understand the forms and get them the assistance they needed,” said EEI Attorney for Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Shantel Francis.

During the industry-wide day of service, volunteer attorneys and legal staff from other electric and gas companies also assisted clients in their communities. The program is organized by the Pro Bono Institute (PBI)'s Corporate Pro Bono project and legal teams at Entergy and EEI.

Several EEI member companies participated in providing services, including developing life planning documents for seniors, signing veterans up for wellness services, assisting with applications for public benefits, and more. According to the PBI, this year there were:

• 25 pro bono events serving underserved clients across 15 states
• 271 in-house volunteers from 13 in-house legal departments
• 235 law firm volunteers
• Almost 400 clients served

During the workshop at AARP, attorneys from EEI and AARP served 13 clients and assisted with more than 25 applications.

“EEI's commitment to guiding clients through complex benefit applications was inspiring. They helped transform what could have been a stressful process into a hopeful one. We are grateful for the EEI attorneys’ expertise and compassion. Because of your work, families will enter the winter months with greater security and peace of mind,” said AARP Senior Attorney Robyn R. Griffin.

To learn more about EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day, visit PBI’s website.

The CenterPoint Energy Foundation in August donated $1 million to the Salvation Army to support emergency response in the Greater Houston area—part of investor-owned electric companies’ broader efforts to build and support crisis-response frameworks in the communities they serve.

“The CenterPoint Energy Foundation believes in the power of collaboration to build stronger, more resilient communities,” CenterPoint Energy's Executive Vice President and General Counsel Monica Karuturi said in a statement. “We know that these emergency situations can happen at any time.”

The five-year grant will help the Salvation Army serve vulnerable populations, including families, youth, seniors, and the unsheltered during crises and extreme weather events.

It’s the foundation’s latest effort to foster resilience across CenterPoint Energy’s service territory. Earlier this year, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation facilitated the donation of more than 20 backup generators to strategically significant locations throughout Houston and the surrounding counties. The foundation worked with state and local officials and Texas Offices of Emergency Management to ensure these generators would support the distribution of essential services like medical care, water, and food during emergencies.

EEI member companies invest heavily in the energy grid, building and fortifying critical energy infrastructure to withstand threats of all kinds. Additionally, lineworkers from EEI member companies are on the front lines during storms and other disasters, working to quickly restore power and hope when Mother Nature is at her worst. EEI issued its annual Emergency Response Awards in September, recognizing more than two dozen member companies that put forth outstanding efforts to safely and efficiently restore service to the public following a storm or natural disaster.

Behind the scenes, however, CenterPoint Energy is one of many electric companies investing heavily in their communities. During National Preparedness Month in September and throughout the year, EEI member companies are critical to crisis planning and community resilience projects, supporting local response networks and first responders.

The Duke Energy Foundation in June announced plans to commit $1.5 million through the 2025 Helping Emergency Response Organizations (HERO) grant program to boost community readiness and resilience, supporting local agencies and the American Red Cross throughout the company’s service territory in North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Florida, Ohio, and Kentucky.

The grants will support first responder training and the purchase of lifesaving equipment and technology to help during weather-related disaster planning and response.

“These grants are an investment in the resilience of our communities,” said Duke Energy Foundation President Amy Strecker. “When the unexpected strikes, our partners on the front lines need resources they can rely on—and we’re proud to help power their efforts.”

In September, Black Hills Energy issued $135,000 in Funds for Firefighters safety grants across Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The grants are designed to help local fire departments purchase protective equipment, specialized tools, and other first responder essentials.

“At Black Hills Energy, we believe that when we invest in those who protect our communities, we’re building a stronger, safer future for everyone,” Kevin Jarosz, vice president of Black Hills Energy Nebraska and Iowa operations, said in a statement.

Similarly, the We Energies Foundation announced in August that it would issue grants totaling $100,000 to help local first responders purchase lifesaving equipment and strengthen public safety. Since 2020, the We Energies Foundation has donated $500,000 to help police, fire, and emergency medical services agencies improve public safety across Wisconsin and Michigan.

“We are honored to continue our support of public safety agencies and the invaluable impact they make every day,” said We Energies Foundation President Beth Straka. “The important tools we help provide our first responders—from vital medical devices to heavy-duty equipment—can be critical in keeping people and our communities safe.”

Electric company-led community resilience projects can take many forms. Some come as one-time donations or grants, while others are set up to provide ongoing financial support over a longer period of time. The Portland General Electric Foundation in 2021 established the Responsive Philanthropy Fund to swiftly address community needs following crises. During a winter ice storm last year, the Fund distributed $50,000 to nonprofits that provided warming shelters and basic needs like food, clothing, and housing assistance to impacted customers.

Additionally, 2025 marked the eighth year of an ongoing partnership involving Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the California Fire Foundation. Through the partnership, $950,000 in grants will be issued this year to California-based fire departments and community organizations in support of wildfire safety and preparedness projects. And, PG&E and the PG&E Foundation committed $1.65 million to support the state’s Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program, which raises public awareness about wildfire safety and delivers resources to underserved communities in high fire-risk areas.

“The projects that these grants fund, such as creating defensible space, enabling fuel-reduction programs, and conducting fire-safety outreach campaigns, are essential across our service area and especially within underserved communities,” PG&E Senior Vice President for Wildfire, Emergency, and Operations Mark Quinlan said in a statement.

EEI member companies know that resilience is a team sport—and that effective and productive partnerships with government officials and local leaders produce better outcomes for customers when disaster strikes.

“These partnerships help ensure an efficient response, using the strengths and resources of both industry and government to restore power quickly and to support storm-affected communities and customers,” Southern Company Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Stan Connally wrote in an article for Electric Perspectives earlier this year. “By working together, we can mitigate the impact of disasters, enhance resilience, and expedite recovery efforts.”

Through their long-standing partnerships with federal, state, and local leaders and their ongoing engagement in mutual assistance, EEI member companies are actively engaged in crisis preparation and response efforts throughout the year. And, their engagement with the CEO-led Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council allows them to coordinate with government partners at the U.S. Departments of Energy and Homeland Security and the National Security Council to ensure industry and government alignment in preparing for and responding to national-level disasters and threats.

Learn more about the industry’s resilience initiatives at eei.org/mutual-assistance.

The funds will be distributed through the Share program, administered locally by Metropolitan Ministries, the Salvation Army, and the Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg to provide direct support for customers struggling to pay their bills.

With this contribution, Tampa Electric will have donated $4.4 million to the Share program during the past four years. The program is funded by donations from Tampa Electric shareholders, employees, customers, and community partners and does not impact customer bills.

“We recognize that many of our most vulnerable customers are feeling especially stretched right now,” Tampa Electric President and CEO Archie Collins said in a statement. “As a company deeply rooted in this community, we believe it’s our responsibility to support our neighbors in times of need.”

Additionally, Tampa Electric recommends several tips and tricks to help customers adjust their energy usage and avoid unexpected hikes to their monthly bills. Closely monitoring the use of air conditioning, ceiling fans, and other household appliances could all help mitigate monthly energy consumption.

Customer affordability has long been a priority for investor-owned electric companies, particularly during summer months when air conditioning and energy use tend to spike, putting upward pressure on energy bills.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers, increased industrialization and the reshoring of manufacturing activity, and the broader electrification of the economy continue to push electricity demand higher, EEI member companies are proactively developing customer support programs and raising awareness of existing federal, state, and company-specific resources to help ensure customers who need financial assistance are able to access it.

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

In August, Ameren announced plans to distribute $4 million in bill payment assistance to community action agencies that connect residential customers with financial resources. 

Ameren Illinois then announced that income-qualified customers who have fallen behind on their energy bills can apply for an additional $150 in payment assistance through their local Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) agency. That same $150 one-time Ameren Energy Relief Grant also is available to Ameren Missouri customers, who may qualify for up to $1,400 in bill payment assistance across several different programs. 

“It's also important for our customers to understand how to use our online tools and to see how they're using energy so they can take control of their usage,” Ameren Vice President of Customer Experience Joe Solari said in a statement, noting additional resources available to customers in Illinois and Missouri. “These tools are designed to empower customers to manage their energy in ways that work for them.” 

Ameren has partnered with hundreds of agencies this year, making more than $75 million available to support its customers through energy assistance and LIHEAP access. 

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill. 

PG&E estimates a residential customer who uses 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month—roughly the average monthly usage for a California customer, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration—will see their bills dip by about $5.

That’s in addition to a biannual $58.23 credit customers will receive in October from the California Climate Credit initiative, part of the state’s effort to support the transition to low-carbon energy generation. PG&E estimates residential electric rates have dropped three times during the past 15 months and that those drops have offset rate increases. The company forecasts rates will fall again in 2026.

“While we continue making progress to stabilize electric prices for our customers, we know there is more work to do,” PG&E Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer Carla Peterman said in a statement. “Our focus is on making our system safer and more reliable for customers every day, while managing our costs to keep bills as low as possible.”

PG&E maintains a series of no- and low-cost tools to help customers save energy and money, including the PG&E REACH program, which offers eligible customers credits of up to $300 to help pay past-due bills. The PG&E REACH program distributed more than $50 million in financial assistance to customers last year alone. PG&E also maintains a Savings Finder tool to help connect customers with support programs and resources and in July committed $50 million to new and existing financial assistance programs to support eligible customers with past-due energy bills. 

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill. 

Since 2022, the Foundation, Duke Energy, and its employees and customers have contributed more than $11 million to local nonprofit initiatives through the Share the Light Fund, helping connect customers with qualifying aid. 

“We know that behind every request for assistance is a story—a family, a friend, a community member working to get through a tough time,” Duke Energy Foundation President Amy Strecker said in a statement. “Through Share the Light Fund and our local partners, we’re able to support our neighbors in their moment of need.” 

At the same time, new programs and incentives are giving Duke Energy customers more control over their energy usage and costs. In addition to home weatherization and free home energy assessments, the company offers payment plans, due date extensions, and a Payment Assistance Finder. Monthly usage alerts also help customers track their energy consumption mid-cycle so they can adjust before the next bill arrives, and Duke Energy provides summer heat relief by helping connect eligible seniors and individuals with disabilities with fans or air conditioners. 

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill. 

The program’s career-readiness curriculum, mentorship opportunities, skills-development components, and connections to industry leadership will help high school students in urban communities prepare for evolving and increasingly technical careers in energy. It is expected to launch in seven communities across the country during its first year, with plans to eventually expand to 40 communities while engaging with 1,000 students annually. 

“As the energy industry grows, we must expand access to its career opportunities for all communities,” CEWD Executive Director Missy Henriksen said in a statement. “The UEASP is our commitment to urban youth, offering them a clear pathway to energy careers—from GED to Ph.D.—and giving them the tools to step directly into impactful, sustainable roles in this dynamic sector.” 

The American Association of Blacks in Energy also is supporting the initiative, which is expected to formally launch in Fall 2026. It is one of several ongoing industry efforts to create new talent pipelines and draw students from a variety of backgrounds to an energy industry that is rapidly changing and often in need of technical, specialized skillsets. 

The Entergy Foundation last year provided a $2-million grant to Jackson State University in Mississippi to establish the Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab —an innovation and skills development hub that will help train the skilled cybersecurity workforce that electric companies will depend on in an increasingly digital economy. 

The Exelon Foundation, similarly, has supported the development of dozens of science, technology, engineering, and math centers across the country to help grade-school students develop valuable workforce skills and introduce them to a potential career in energy. 

CEWD data suggests the industry will need to recruit 32 million workers during the next decade to fill new roles and replace vacancies. 

The PNM Good Neighbor Fund provides electric bill assistance to low-income and income-qualified customers, including seniors and other vulnerable groups. The fund, which is distributed through a partnership with the Rio Grande Food Project, helps qualified customers stay connected to electricity during challenging times. A subprogram to the Good Neighbor Fund, the PNM CARES Program, offers targeted assistance to customers facing unique hardships, including medical challenges or domestic violence.

PNM hosts several on-site bill assistance events throughout the year to provide customers and community members with direct access to these vital resources. During the events, PNM team members are available to answer questions, review customer eligibility, and assist customers with bill assistance applications.

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

PG&E also announced a new dollar-for-dollar matching program up to $1,000 to help low- and moderate-income customers pay past-due bills and prevent service disconnections. An estimated 400,000 customers are expected to be eligible for the new PG&E Match My Payment Program, based on federal income guidelines.

“Our Match My Payment Program is designed to make sure more families receive support when they need it most, especially during the summer months when energy bills can peak,” PG&E Senior Vice President for Customer Experience Vincent Davis said in a statement.

Additional funding for the new program and PG&E’s other bill relief offerings will be monitored throughout the year to ensure resources are appropriately allocated to best meet customers’ evolving needs.

PG&E offers a range of income-based assistance programs for customers who need help with their bills, including the PG&E REACH program, which offers eligible customers credits of up to $300 to help pay past-due bills. The PG&E REACH program distributed more than $50 million in financial assistance to customers last year alone. PG&E also maintains a Savings Finder tool to help connect customers with support programs and resources.

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, and Pepco are accepting applications from customers seeking bill relief. PECO customers in the Philadelphia area will be able to apply for assistance beginning in August.

“Exelon understands that high energy bills, caused by increased supply costs, are extremely stressful for low- and middle-income customers—which includes many seniors, small business owners, and families experiencing challenges,” Exelon President and CEO and EEI Chair Calvin Butler said in a statement. “The Customer Relief Fund, in addition to our existing year-round programs supporting customers with energy assistance, once again demonstrates Exelon’s commitment to our communities.”

The $50-million fund has been spread across Exelon’s local energy companies, which are actively assisting customers who want more information about how they can access and apply for assistance.

Last month, Maryland Governor Wes Moore joined officials from BGE, Pepco, Delmarva Power, and nonprofit organizations including the United Way of Central Maryland, the Salvation Army, Harford Community Action Agency, and Shore UP! to announce that $19 million in assistance would be made available to limited- and middle-income customers in Maryland. 

“We need to work together to get them relief—and today, we are taking new actions to achieve exactly that,” Governor Moore said in a statement. “But, while this is an important step forward, it will not be the last.” 

The one-time fund is part of Exelon’s broader efforts to help customers manage their energy bills. Across the country, EEI’s member electric companies are offering energy efficiency programs to help customers reduce their energy use, working with state and local governments to develop new and innovative customer-centric programs, and offering billing assistance and flexible payment options to help customers manage costs. 

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. And, learn about more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

Entergy Mississippi this month announced it would contribute $628,000 to provide bill assistance to older adults and customers with disabilities who qualify through its The Power to Care program.

Entergy Mississippi announced the contribution during a “Beat the Heat Day” event, where employee volunteers partnered with community resource groups to provide resources to help customers combat high temperatures, including household energy efficiency kits, fans, energy-saving tips, and cooling stations. 

“High temperatures in our service area are notorious for causing higher energy bills, which leaves many of our customers struggling to make ends meet,” said Valarie Mabry, public affairs analyst at Entergy Mississippi. “It’s why we’re thankful for our community partners who help us get these important resources to homes in need.” 

Entergy Mississippi’s bill assistance contribution will be distributed through Entergy Corporation’s The Power to Care program, which provides emergency bill payment assistance to older adults and customers with disabilities in their time of need. The Power to Care program is funded through employee, customer, and shareholder donations, and Entergy shareholders match each gift, up to $1 million.

Visit EEI’s Energy Affordability hub for more information about what local resources may be available in your community, including eligibility for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and for EEI’s guide to more than 100 ways to improve your electric bill, including energy efficiency updates and actions that you can take to help manage your bill.

Upgrades and expansions to Entergy Louisiana’s generation and transmission infrastructure will help power a planned $5.8-billion Hyundai Motor Group steel manufacturing facility in Donaldsonville, La.

The facility, announced in late March, will produce 2.7 million metric tons of steel each year and help create an estimated 5,400 new jobs in the area. It also will solidify Hyundai’s vehicle manufacturing footprint within the United States, and the electric arc furnace serving the mill is expected to produce 70 percent fewer emissions than a traditional blast furnace.

“This historic investment will help set up Louisiana for long-term economic success, creating thousands of high-quality jobs and positioning our state as a leader in next-generation, low-carbon steel production,” Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May said in a statement.

For years, Entergy Louisiana has worked with the Louisiana Public Service Commission and other stakeholders to upgrade its transmission capacity along an area that, to date, has been the largest undeveloped tract of land along the deepwater stretch of the Mississippi River.

Last year, the company installed self-healing grid technology along the border of the surrounding Ascension Parish and East Baton Rouge, making local infrastructure more resilient.

Entergy Louisiana separately announced a $39-million project to fortify nearly 60 miles of power lines in Ascension Parish. Upon completion, the upgrades will help prevent 5.6 million hours of outages and save nearly $140 million in restoration costs during the next five decades. Work on additional transmission projects in the surrounding area also is underway.

Increased industrialization and onshoring of manufacturing activity in the United States is contributing to significant energy demand growth across the country and creating new opportunities for America’s electric companies to collaborate with their industry partners.

“Entergy Louisiana is proud to support Hyundai Steel Company with the reliable, sustainable energy solutions needed to power such an ambitious and forward-thinking facility. Together, we are building a stronger, more sustainable future for our state,” May said.

Days after the Louisiana announcement, Hyundai opened its nearly $7.6-billion mass-production electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid plant in Ellabell, Ga., which is powered in part by nuclear energy generated from Georgia Power’s Vogtle Units 3 and 4. And, last year, AES Ohio unveiled a new $175-million substation, which powers a new Honda-LG Energy Solution EV battery plant in Fayette County, Ohio.

Manufacturing activity is one of several factors driving demand growth projections higher in the years ahead, alongside the electrification of transportation and the buildout of data centers supporting artificial intelligence technologies.

Dominion Energy volunteers clean a Bumpass Volunteer Fire Department fire truck. (Photo: Dominion Energy)

Like many electric companies, Dominion Energy is a public service company.

That means providing the reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy that powers customers every day. Dominion Energy strives to make a positive impact in the communities we serve.

Corporate volunteerism is one of the ways we keep the public’s best interest at the forefront of what we do.

Dominion Energy celebrated National Volunteer Week in April, but we remain active in our communities all year long.

Here are three reasons why corporate volunteerism matters in the energy industry:

1. Volunteerism shows the community that you care about more than business metrics.

At its core, volunteering is all about helping others. When you help others, you’re demonstrating concern for your community’s wellbeing. That authentic engagement builds trust, which is so important to our industry as we work to meet customers’ evolving needs.

In 2024, Dominion Energy staff and retirees logged more than 110,000 volunteer hours in our service areas across multiple states.

For example, our volunteer teams:

• Planted over 17,000 native saplings with Friends of the Rappahannock.
• Supported the Bumpass Volunteer Fire Department with maintenance and cleanup.
• Built homes with Hanover and King William Habitat for Humanity.
• Helped with a backpack drive and shoe donations to support students in need.
• Painted fences and installed posts for therapeutic horse paddocks with the Ohana Preservation Foundation.

More than 6,300 of our volunteers spent time assisting nearly 800 organizations. Some more than once! Are you measuring the impact that your company is having on the customers and communities you serve?

Dominion Energy employees engage in several different volunteer efforts throughout the year to support their customers and communities. (Photo: Dominion Energy)

2. Volunteerism engages employees.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, volunteer programs help boost job satisfaction, improve morale, and retain employees.

As the energy industry experiences rapid change, maintaining an engaged workforce is critical to longevity and success.

The key to a strong corporate volunteer program is to support staff in the causes they care about.

Consider offering paid time off or project grants to encourage employee volunteer efforts.

For example, Dominion Energy staff receive up to eight hours of paid volunteer time annually, as well as an opportunity to apply for an Employees in Action volunteer grant of up to $2,500 to support a project that they care about.

We’ve also had success setting up a volunteer platform with a database of potential projects and scheduling tools to make it easier for employees to get involved.

Such strategies empower staff to make a difference where they work and live. Plus, this approach demonstrates your commitment to service.

3. Volunteerism strengthens community connections.

Volunteering brings people together.

When staff members volunteer in the community, they have a chance to build meaningful relationships.

Leverage volunteerism to partner with nonprofits and charitable groups in your service area that align with your company values. Doing so will put you closer to the people you serve, providing an opportunity to learn more about their needs and how you can help.

For example, Dominion Energy partnered with organizers and talent from a music festival in Norfolk, Va., to lead an energy efficiency renovation at the home of a local senior citizen in need of bill assistance. I joined several Dominion Energy lineworkers and other team members to assist with landscaping, fence work, and other tasks while a team of contractors and energy partners upgraded the homeowner’s aging HVAC system, installed a new heat pump, performed necessary duct work, and replaced lighting and attic insulation, among other repairs. The festival artists who joined us used their influence and media interviews to raise awareness of the energy assistance programs that Dominion Energy and its partners make available to the community.

Collaboration amplifies your impact.

Volunteerism shows care for your community, engages employees, and strengthens connections with your customers, says Byrd. (Photo: Dominion Energy)

Additionally, by coupling volunteer efforts with charitable donations, your company can leave an even greater mark on the community. For example, through our Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, EnergyShare, and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed $46.3 million in 2024 to community causes.

During National Volunteer Week and beyond, it is so important for our industry to commit to helping our customers and communities with our time and talents.

Ultimately, volunteer efforts improve the quality of life for customers and strengthen our communities.

That is what public service is all about.

Tonya Byrd is the senior policy director at Dominion Energy who manages community engagement. She is the 2019 recipient of the company’s Benjamin J. Lambert III Volunteer of the Year—Community Vitality award.

Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va., provides regulated electricity service to 3.6 million homes and businesses in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and regulated natural gas service to 500,000 customers in South Carolina. The company is one of the nation’s leading developers and operators of regulated offshore wind and solar power and the largest producer of carbon-free electricity in New England. The company’s mission is to provide the reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy that powers its customers every day. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.