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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-201149

 

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities, and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities, in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT DATED JULY 12, 2016

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To prospectus dated December 19, 2014)

$                         

 

Dominion Resources, Inc.

$         2016 Series A     % Enhanced Junior Subordinated Notes due 2076

 

 

The 2016 Series A Enhanced Junior Subordinated Notes (the Junior Subordinated Notes) will bear interest at     % per year and will mature on July 30, 2076. Subject to our right to defer interest payments as described below, we will pay interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes on January 30, April 30, July 30 and October 30 of each year, beginning October 30, 2016. The Junior Subordinated Notes will be issued in registered form and in denominations of $25 and integral multiples thereof.

We may defer interest payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes on one or more occasions for up to 10 consecutive years as described in this prospectus supplement. Deferred interest payments will accumulate additional interest at a rate equal to the interest rate applicable to the Junior Subordinated Notes, to the extent permitted by law.

We may redeem the Junior Subordinated Notes at our option at the times and at the redemption prices described in this prospectus supplement.

The Junior Subordinated Notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading market. We intend to apply to list the Junior Subordinated Notes on the New York Stock Exchange. Trading on the New York Stock Exchange is expected to commence within 30 days after the Junior Subordinated Notes are first issued.

 

Investing in the Junior Subordinated Notes involves risks. For a description of these risks, see “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-11 of this prospectus supplement and the Risk Factors section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Public Offering Price(1)

Underwriting Discount(2)

Proceeds to Company Before Expenses(2)

Per Junior Subordinated Note

$

$

$

Total(3)

$

$

$

 

(1)	Plus accrued interest from July     , 2016, if settlement occurs after that date.

(2)

Underwriting discounts of $         per Junior Subordinated Note (or up to $         for all Junior Subordinated Notes) will be deducted from the proceeds paid to us by the underwriters. However, the discount will be $         per Junior Subordinated Note for sales to institutions and, to the extent of such sales, the total underwriting discount will be less than the amount set forth in the table above. As a result of sales to institutions, the total proceeds to us increased by $        .

(3)	Assumes no exercise of over-allotment option described below.

The underwriters will have the option to purchase within eight business days after July     , 2016 up to an additional $         in principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes at the public offering price less the underwriting discount in order to cover over-allotments, if any. Should the underwriters exercise this option in full, the total initial public offering price, underwriting discount and proceeds to us before expenses will be $        , $        , and $        , respectively.

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.

The Junior Subordinated Notes will be ready for delivery in book-entry only form through The Depository Trust Company on or about July     , 2016.

 

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

BofA Merrill Lynch		Morgan Stanley		UBS Investment Bank		Wells Fargo Securities

The date of this prospectus supplement is July     , 2016.

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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 the Junior Subordinated Notes and certain other matters relating to us and our financial condition. The second part, the accompanying base prospectus, gives more general information about Debt Securities and Junior Subordinated Notes we may offer from time to time, some of which does not apply to the Junior Subordinated Notes we are offering at this time. Generally, when we refer to the prospectus, we are referring to both parts of this document combined. To the extent the description of the Junior Subordinated Notes in the prospectus supplement differs from the description of Debt Securities and Junior Subordinated Notes 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 underwriters 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
Where You Can Find More Information			S-4
Forward-Looking Information			S-4
Prospectus Supplement Summary			S-7
Risk Factors			S-11
Use of Proceeds			S-14
Capitalization			S-15
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges			S-16
Description of the Junior Subordinated Notes			S-18
Book-Entry Procedures and Settlement			S-24
Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations			S-26
Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)			S-31
Legal Matters			S-33
Experts			S-33

Base Prospectus

 

		Page
About This Prospectus			2
Where You Can Find More Information			2
Safe Harbor and Cautionary Statements			3
Dominion			3
Use of Proceeds			5
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			20
Description of Capital Stock			21
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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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 an important part of this prospectus supplement 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 Gas Holdings, LLC (Dominion Gas). Our combined filings with the SEC represent separate filings by each of Virginia Power, Dominion Gas and us. 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, as amended (the Exchange Act), except those portions of filings that relate to Virginia Power or Dominion Gas as a separate registrant, until such time as all of the securities covered by this prospectus supplement have been sold:

 

•

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015;

 

•

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016; and

 

•

Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed January 21, 2016, February 1, 2016, March 7, 2016, April 8, 2016, May 11, 2016 and May 26, 2016.

You may request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at:

Corporate Secretary, Dominion Resources, Inc., 120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, Telephone (804) 819-2000.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

We have included or incorporated by reference certain information in this prospectus supplement or other offering materials which is “forward-looking information” as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples include discussions as to our expectations, beliefs, plans, goals, objectives and future financial or other performance or assumptions concerning matters discussed in this prospectus. This information, by its nature, involves estimates, projections, forecasts and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ substantially from those expressed in the forward-looking statement.

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 ability to control. We have identified a number of these factors in our annual and other reports as described under the heading “Risk Factors” and we refer you to that discussion for further information. These factors include but are not limited to:

 

•

Unusual weather conditions and their effect on energy sales to customers and energy commodity prices;

 

•

Extreme weather events and other natural disasters, including hurricanes, high winds, severe storms, earthquakes, flooding and changes in water temperatures and availability that can cause outages and property damage to facilities;

 

•

Federal, state and local legislative and regulatory developments, including changes in federal and state tax laws and regulations;

 

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•

Changes to federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, including those related to climate change, the tightening of emission or discharge limits for greenhouse gases and other emissions, more extensive permitting requirements and the regulation of additional substances;

 

•

Cost of environmental compliance, including those costs related to climate change;

 

•

Changes in implementation and enforcement practices of regulators relating to environmental standards and litigation exposure for remedial activities;

 

•

Difficulty in anticipating mitigation requirements associated with environmental and other regulatory approvals;

 

•

Risks associated with the operation of nuclear facilities, including costs associated with the disposal of spent nuclear fuel, decommissioning, plant maintenance and changes in existing regulations governing such facilities;

 

•

Unplanned outages at facilities in which we have an ownership interest;

 

•

Fluctuations in energy-related commodity prices and the effect these could have on our earnings and our liquidity position and the underlying value of our assets;

 

•

Counterparty credit and performance risk;

 

•

Capital market conditions, including the availability of credit and the ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms;

 

•

Risks associated with Virginia Power’s membership and participation in PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., including risks related to obligations created by the default of other participants;

 

•

Fluctuations in the value of investments held in nuclear decommissioning trusts and in benefit plan trusts by us;

 

•

Fluctuations in interest rates;

 

•

Changes in rating agency requirements or credit ratings and their effect on availability and cost of capital;

 

•

Changes in financial or regulatory accounting principles or policies imposed by governing bodies;

 

•

Employee workforce factors including collective bargaining agreements and labor negotiations with union employees;

 

•

Risks of operating businesses in regulated industries that are subject to changing regulatory structures;

 

•

Impacts of acquisitions, divestitures, transfers of assets to joint ventures or Dominion Midstream Partners, LP (Dominion Midstream), and retirements of assets based on asset portfolio reviews;

 

•

The expected timing and likelihood of completion of the proposed acquisition of Questar Corporation (Questar), including the terms and conditions of any required regulatory approvals;

 

•

Receipt of approvals for, and timing of, closing dates for other acquisitions and divestitures;

 

•

The timing and execution of Dominion Midstream’s growth strategy;

 

•

Changes in rules for regional transmission organizations and independent system operators in which we participate, including changes in rate designs, changes in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) interpretation of market rules and new and evolving capacity models;

 

•

Political and economic conditions, including inflation and deflation;

 

•

Domestic terrorism and other threats to our physical and intangible assets, as well as threats to cybersecurity;

 

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•

Changes in demand for our services, including industrial, commercial and residential growth or decline in our service areas, changes in supplies of natural gas delivered to our pipeline and processing systems, failure to maintain or replace customer contracts on favorable terms, changes in customer growth or usage patterns, including as a result of energy conservation programs, the availability of energy efficient devices and the use of distributed generation methods;

 

•

Additional competition in industries in which we operate, including in electric markets in which our merchant generation facilities operate, and competition in the development, construction and ownership of certain electric transmission facilities in Virginia Power’s service territory in connection with FERC Order 1000;

 

•

Changes in technology, particularly with respect to new, developing or alternative sources of generation and smart grid technologies;

 

•

Changes to regulated electric rates and regulated gas distribution, transportation and storage rates, including liquefied natural gas storage, collected by us;

 

•

Changes in operating, maintenance and construction costs;

 

•

Timing and receipt of regulatory approvals necessary for planned construction or expansion projects and compliance with conditions associated with such regulatory approvals;

 

•

The inability to complete planned construction, conversion or expansion projects at all, or with the outcomes or within the terms and time frames initially anticipated;

 

•

Adverse outcomes in litigation matters or regulatory proceedings; and

 

•

The impact of operational hazards, including adverse developments with respect to pipeline and plant safety or integrity, equipment loss, malfunction or failure, operator error, and other catastrophic events.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Your investment in the Junior Subordinated Notes involves certain risks, including those discussed below. 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, 2015, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. In consultation with your own financial and legal advisers, you should carefully consider, among other matters, the risks discussed below and the discussions of risks that we have incorporated by reference before deciding whether an investment in the Junior Subordinated Notes is suitable for you.

See WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION on page S-4.

Risks Related to the Junior Subordinated Notes

We may elect to defer interest payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes at our option for one or more periods of up to 10 years.

We may elect at our option to defer payment of all or part of the current and accrued interest otherwise due on the Junior Subordinated Notes for one or more periods of up to 10 consecutive years, as described in this prospectus supplement under DESCRIPTION OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES—Option to Defer Interest Payments on page S-20.

We are not permitted to pay current interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes until we have paid all outstanding deferred interest, and this could have the effect of extending interest deferral periods.

During an Optional Deferral Period of less than 10 years, we will be prohibited from paying current interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes until we have paid all accrued and unpaid deferred interest. As a result, we may not be able to pay current interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes if we do not have available funds to pay all accrued and unpaid interest.

The after-market price of the Junior Subordinated Notes may be discounted significantly if we defer interest payments.

If we defer interest payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes, you may be unable to sell your Junior Subordinated Notes at a price that reflects the value of deferred amounts. To the extent a trading market develops for the Junior Subordinated Notes, that market may not continue during an Optional Deferral Period, or during periods in which investors perceive that there is a likelihood of a deferral, and you may be unable to sell Junior Subordinated Notes at those times, either at a price that reflects the value of required payments under the Junior Subordinated Notes or at all.

If we defer interest payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes, there will be United States federal income tax consequences to holders of the Junior Subordinated Notes.

If we defer interest payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes for one or more Optional Deferral Periods, you likely will be required to include amounts accruing with respect to such deferred interest in income for United States federal income tax purposes during such period, regardless of your method of accounting for United States federal income tax purposes.

If you sell your Junior Subordinated Notes before the record date for the payment of interest at the end of an Optional Deferral Period, you will not receive such interest. Instead, the accrued interest will be paid to the holder of record on the record date regardless of who the holder of record may have been on any other date during the Optional Deferral Period. Moreover, amounts that you were required to include in income in respect of

 

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the Junior Subordinated Notes during the Optional Deferral Period will be added to your adjusted tax basis in the Junior Subordinated Notes, but may not be reflected in the amount that you realize on the sale. To the extent the amount realized on a sale is less than your adjusted tax basis, you will recognize a capital loss for United States federal income tax purposes. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. See CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS—U.S. Holders—Sale, Exchange, Redemption or Retirement of the Junior Subordinated Notes on page S-28.

The Junior Subordinated Notes are effectively subordinated to substantially all of our other debt, including the debt of our subsidiaries.

Our obligations under the Junior Subordinated Notes are subordinate and junior in right of payment to all of our other indebtedness, except any indebtedness that by its terms is subordinated to, or ranks on an equal basis with, the Junior Subordinated Notes. This means that we cannot make any payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes if we default on a payment of any of our other indebtedness and do not cure the default within the applicable grace period, if the holders of all of our other indebtedness have the right to accelerate the maturity of all of our other indebtedness and request that we cease payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes or if the terms of all of our other indebtedness otherwise restrict us from making payments to junior creditors.

Due to the subordination provisions described in DESCRIPTION OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES—Ranking on page S-18 and ADDITIONAL TERMS OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES—Subordination on page 18 of the accompanying base prospectus, in the event of our insolvency, funds which we would otherwise use to pay the holders of the Junior Subordinated Notes will be used to pay the holders of all of our other more senior indebtedness to the extent necessary to pay all of our other more senior indebtedness in full. As a result of those payments, our trade creditors may recover less, ratably, than the holders of all of our other more senior indebtedness and these trade creditors may recover more, ratably, than the holders of the Junior Subordinated Notes. In addition, the holders of all of our other more senior indebtedness may, under certain circumstances, restrict or prohibit us from making payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes.

Holders of Junior Subordinated Notes will generally have a junior position to claims of creditors of our subsidiaries, including trade creditors, debtholders, secured creditors, taxing authorities and guarantee holders, and any preferred security holders of our subsidiaries. In addition to trade debt, several of our operating subsidiaries have ongoing corporate debt programs used to finance their business activities. All of this corporate debt will be effectively senior to the Junior Subordinated Notes.

There are no terms in the Subordinated Indenture II or the Junior Subordinated Notes that limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness or our subsidiaries’ ability to incur additional indebtedness or issue preferred securities, and we and our subsidiaries expect to incur additional indebtedness from time to time that will be senior to the Junior Subordinated Notes.

We are a holding company, and payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes will only be made from our earnings and assets, and not those of our subsidiaries.

We are a holding company that conducts substantially all of our operations through our subsidiaries. Therefore, our ability to meet our obligations for payment of interest and principal on outstanding debt obligations and to pay dividends to shareholders and corporate expenses depends upon the earnings and cash flows of our subsidiaries and the ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or to advance or repay funds to us.

An active after-market for the Junior Subordinated Notes may not develop.

The Junior Subordinated Notes constitute a new issue of securities with no established trading market. While we plan to list the Junior Subordinated Notes on the New York Stock Exchange, we cannot assure you that an active after-market for the Junior Subordinated Notes will develop or be sustained or that holders of the Junior

 

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Subordinated Notes will be able to sell their Junior Subordinated Notes at favorable prices or at all. Although the underwriters have indicated to us that they intend to make a market in the Junior Subordinated Notes, as permitted by applicable laws and regulations, they are not obligated to do so and may discontinue any such market-making at any time without notice. Accordingly, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or trading markets for, the Junior Subordinated Notes.

Rating agencies may change their practices for rating the Junior Subordinated Notes, which change may affect the market price of the Junior Subordinated Notes.

The rating agencies that currently or may in the future publish a rating for us, including Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (a Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC business), and Fitch Ratings, Inc., each of which is expected to initially publish a rating of the Junior Subordinated Notes, may, from time to time in the future, change the way they analyze securities with features similar to the Junior Subordinated Notes. This may include, for example, changes to the relationship between ratings assigned to an issuer’s senior securities and ratings assigned to securities with features similar to the Junior Subordinated Notes. If the rating agencies change their practices for rating these types of securities in the future, and the ratings of the Junior Subordinated Notes are subsequently lowered, that could have a negative impact on the trading price of the Junior Subordinated Notes. In addition, we may redeem the Junior Subordinated Notes before July 30, 2021, at our option, in whole, but not in part, on one or more occasions, if a rating agency makes certain changes in the equity credit methodology for securities such as the Junior Subordinated Notes. See DESCRIPTION OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES—Redemption—Right to Redeem at Rating Agency Event on page S-23.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the Junior Subordinated Notes for general corporate purposes, including to finance the Tender Offer, and to repay short-term debt. As of July 5, 2016, we had (i) $247,479,000 in aggregate principal amount of 2006 Series A Notes outstanding, which bear interest at the three-month LIBOR rate plus 282.5 basis points and mature on June 30, 2066, and (ii) $373,346,000 in aggregate principal amount of 2006 Series B Notes outstanding, which bear interest at the three-month LIBOR rate plus 230 basis points and mature on September 30, 2066. As of June 30, 2016, our short-term debt included $1.78 billion in outstanding commercial paper with a weighted average yield of 0.84% per year and a weighted average days to maturity of approximately 23 days.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The table below shows our unaudited capitalization on a consolidated basis as of March 31, 2016. The “As Adjusted for Other Transactions” column reflects our capitalization after giving effect to (i) the settlement of our 2013 Series A Purchase Contracts on April 1, 2016 and the use of net proceeds from such settlement, (ii) the offering on April 4, 2016 of 10,200,000 shares of common stock and the use of net proceeds from such offering, (iii) the successful optional remarketing on May 26, 2016 of our 2013 Series B 1.18% Remarketable Subordinated Notes due 2019 and (iv) the settlement of our 2013 Series B Purchase Contracts on July 1, 2016 and the use of net proceeds from such settlement (collectively, the Other Transactions). The “As Fully Adjusted” column reflects our capitalization after giving effect to the Other Transactions, this offering of Junior Subordinated Notes and the intended use of the net proceeds from these transactions.

You should read this table along with our audited financial statements contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as well as the unaudited information presented in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. See WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION on page S-4 and USE OF PROCEEDS on page S-14.

 

		(unaudited) March 31, 2016
		(in millions)
		Actual				As Adjusted for Other Transactions				As Fully Adjusted(4)
Cash and cash equivalents		$	218			$	718			$	718
Short-term debt(1)		$	4,802			$	3,446			$
Long-term debt:
Senior Notes and other long-term debt			20,807				20,807				20,807
Junior Subordinated Notes			1,849				2,399
Remarketable Subordinated Notes			1,530				980				980
Total long-term debt(2)(3)			24,186				24,186
Total equity			14,015				15,871				15,871
Total capitalization		$	43,003			$	43,503			$

 

(1)	Includes securities due within one year, which includes the effect of unamortized debt issuance costs ($(0.9) million).

(2)	Includes a $19.0 million gain on fair value hedges.

(3)	Includes the effect of unamortized debt issuance costs ($(149.7) million) and unamortized discount ($(56.2) million) net of unamortized premium ($18.0 million).

(4)	For purposes of this table, we have assumed that the Tender Offer will result in the Company purchasing $200 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2006 Series B Notes at the applicable early tender price described in the Tender Offer materials.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

For purposes of this ratio, earnings are determined by adding distributed income of equity investees and fixed charges (excluding interest capitalized) to income from continuing operations before income taxes and adjustments for noncontrolling interest after eliminating the equity in earnings or losses of equity investees. These earnings are then divided by total fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest charges (without reduction for Allowance for Funds Used During Construction) on long-term and short-term debt, interest capitalized, the portion of rental expense that is representative of the interest factor and preferred stock dividends of consolidated subsidiaries (grossed-up by a factor of pre-tax net income divided by net income).

The ratio of earnings to fixed charges for each of the periods indicated is as follows:

 

3 Months Ended March 31, 2016(a)		12 Months Ended March 31, 2016(b)		Years Ended December 31,
				2015(c)		2014(d)		2013(e)		2012(f)		2011(g)
3.57		3.53		3.72		2.33		3.42		3.10		3.10

 

(a)

Earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2016 include a $70 million charge associated with an organizational design initiative; and an $8 million net charge related to other items. Excluding the effect of these items from the calculation would result in a higher ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the three months ended March 31, 2016.

(b)

Earnings for the twelve months ended March 31, 2016 include a $99 million charge associated with ash pond and landfill closure costs; a $70 million charge associated with an organizational design initiative; and a $52 million net charge related to other items. Excluding the effect of these items from the calculation would result in a higher ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the twelve months ended March 31, 2016.

(c)

Earnings for the twelve months ended December 31, 2015 include an $85 million write-off of prior-period deferred fuel costs associated with Virginia legislation; a $99 million charge associated with ash pond and landfill closure costs; and a $78 million charge related to other items; partially offset by $60 million of net gain related to our investments in nuclear decommissioning trust funds. Excluding the effect of these items from the calculation would result in a higher ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the twelve months ended December 31, 2015.

(d)

Earnings for the twelve months ended December 31, 2014 include a $374 million charge related to our North Anna nuclear power station and offshore wind facilities; a $284 million charge associated with our liability management effort, which is included in fixed charges; a $121 million accrued charge associated with ash pond and landfill closure costs; and a $93 million charge related to other items; partially offset by a $100 million net gain on the sale of our electric retail energy marketing business and $72 million of net gain related to our investments in nuclear decommissioning trust funds. Excluding the effect of these items from the calculation would result in a higher ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the twelve months ended December 31, 2014.

(e)

Earnings for the twelve months ended December 31, 2013 include a $55 million impairment charge related to certain natural gas infrastructure assets; a $40 million charge in connection with the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s final ruling associated with its biennial review of Virginia Power’s base rates for 2011-2012 test years; a $28 million charge associated with our operating expense reduction initiative, primarily reflecting severance pay and other employee related costs; a $26 million charge related to the expected early shutdown of certain coal-fired generating units; and a $29 million charge related to other items, partially offset by $81 million of net gain related to our investments in nuclear decommissioning trust funds; a $47 million benefit due to a downward revision in the nuclear decommissioning asset retirement obligations for certain merchant nuclear units that are no longer in service; and a $29 million net benefit primarily resulting from the sale of our Elwood power station. Excluding the net effect of these items from the calculation would result in a higher ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the twelve months ended December 31, 2013.

(f)	Earnings for the twelve months ended December 31, 2012 include $438 million of impairment and other charges related to the planned shut-down of our Kewaunee nuclear power station; and $87 million of

 

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restoration costs associated with severe storms affecting our Dominion Virginia Power and Dominion North Carolina service territories; partially offset by a $36 million net gain related to our investments in nuclear decommissioning trust funds and a $4 million net benefit related to other items. Excluding the net effect of these items from the calculation would result in a higher ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the twelve months ended December 31, 2012.

(g)

Earnings for the twelve months ended December 31, 2011 include $228 million of impairment charges related to electric utility generation assets; $96 million of restoration costs associated with Hurricane Irene; a $43 million impairment of excess emission allowances resulting from a new EPA Air Pollution Rule; a $31 million net charge in connection with the Virginia State Corporation Commission’s final ruling associated with its biennial review of Virginia Power’s base rates for 2009 and 2010 test years; $21 million of earthquake related costs, largely related to inspections following the safe shutdown of reactors at our North Anna nuclear power station; and a $45 million net charge related to other items; partially offset by a $24 million benefit related to litigation with the Department of Energy for spent nuclear fuel-related costs at our Millstone nuclear power station. Excluding the net effect of these items from the calculation would result in a higher ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the twelve months ended December 31, 2011.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES

Set forth below is a description of the specific terms of the Junior Subordinated Notes. This description supplements, and should be read together with, the description of the general terms and provisions of the Debt Securities set forth in the accompanying base prospectus under the captions DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES and ADDITIONAL TERMS OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES and, to the extent it is inconsistent with the accompanying base prospectus, replaces the description in the accompanying base prospectus. The Junior Subordinated Notes will be issued under our Junior Subordinated Indenture II, dated as of June 1, 2006, as supplemented and amended from time to time by supplemental indentures, including by the Tenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 1, 2016. The following description is not complete in every detail and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, the description of the Debt Securities in the accompanying base prospectus, the Subordinated Indenture II and the Tenth Supplemental Indenture. Capitalized terms used in this DESCRIPTION OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES that are not defined in this prospectus supplement have the meanings given to them in the accompanying base prospectus, the Subordinated Indenture II or the Tenth Supplemental Indenture as applicable. In this DESCRIPTION OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES section, references to “Dominion,” “we,” “us” and “our” mean Dominion Resources, Inc., excluding any of its subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly stated or the context otherwise requires.

General

We are offering $         aggregate principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes. The Junior Subordinated Notes will be issued in denominations of $25 and integral multiples thereof. In addition, we have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional $         in principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes within eight business days after July     , 2016 to cover overallotments, if any.

The Junior Subordinated Notes will be held in book-entry form only, as described under “DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES” in the accompanying prospectus, and will be held in the name of DTC or its nominee.

The Subordinated Indenture II permits us to “reopen” this series of Junior Subordinated Notes and issue additional Junior Subordinated Notes of this series without the consent of the holders of the Junior Subordinated Notes.

The Junior Subordinated Notes will mature on July 30, 2076.

Ranking

The 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,

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

 

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Priority Indebtedness means, with respect to the 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,

other than obligations ranking on a parity with the Junior Subordinated Notes or ranking junior to the Junior Subordinated Notes.

Priority Indebtedness will not include the Parity Junior Subordinated Notes (as defined below), trade accounts payable, accrued liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business, indebtedness to our subsidiaries or indebtedness evidenced by other junior subordinated notes issued under the Subordinated Indenture II.

“Parity Junior Subordinated Notes” mean the following securities issued by us under our Subordinated Indenture II: (i) our $685 million aggregate principal amount of 2014 Series A 5.75% Enhanced Junior Subordinated Notes due 2054, (ii) our $1 billion aggregate principal amount of 2014 Series A 1.50% Remarketable Subordinated Notes due 2020, (iii) our $550 million aggregate principal amount of 4.104% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2021, (iv) our $550 million aggregate principal amount of 2.962% Junior Subordinated Notes due 2019, (v) our approximately $247.5 million aggregate principal amount of 2006 Series A Enhanced Junior Subordinated Notes due 2066 (less the aggregate principal amount of such notes purchased by us in the Tender Offer), and (vi) our approximately $373.3 million aggregate principal amount of 2006 Series B Enhanced Junior Subordinated Notes due 2066 (less the aggregate principal amount of such notes purchased by us in the Tender Offer).

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 or the Junior Subordinated Notes to change the subordination of any outstanding Priority Indebtedness without the consent of each holder of Priority Indebtedness that the amendment would adversely affect.

As of March 31, 2016, we had approximately $9.6 billion principal amount of outstanding long-term debt on an unconsolidated basis (including securities due within one year and junior subordinated debentures issued under our Subordinated Indenture dated as of December 1, 1997) that will be senior to the Junior Subordinated Notes.

Because we are a holding company and conduct all of our operations through our subsidiaries, which include Virginia Power, Dominion Gas, Dominion Midstream and other subsidiaries, our ability to meet our obligations under the Junior Subordinated Notes 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 the Junior Subordinated Notes will generally have a junior position to claims of creditors of our subsidiaries, including trade creditors, debtholders, secured creditors, taxing authorities and guarantee holders, and any preferred security holders of our subsidiaries. As of March 31, 2016, our subsidiaries had approximately $13.0 billion principal amount of outstanding long-term debt (including securities due within one year).

 

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There are no terms in the Subordinated Indenture II or the Junior Subordinated Notes that limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness or our subsidiaries’ ability to incur additional indebtedness or issue preferred securities. We and our subsidiaries expect to incur additional indebtedness from time to time that will be senior to the Junior Subordinated Notes.

Interest

The Junior Subordinated Notes will bear interest at         % per year from the date of original issuance.

Subject to our right to defer interest payments as described below, interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes will be payable quarterly in arrears on January 30, April 30, July 30 and October 30 of each year, beginning October 30, 2016. The amount of interest payable for any quarterly interest accrual period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

In this prospectus supplement the term “interest” includes quarterly interest payments and applicable interest on interest payments accrued but not paid on the applicable interest payment date.

If an interest payment date or a redemption date of the Junior Subordinated Notes falls on a day that is not a business day, the payment of interest and/or principal payable on that date will be made on the next succeeding business day, and no interest on such payment will accrue for the period from and after the interest payment date or the redemption date, as applicable.

So long as the Junior Subordinated Notes remain in book-entry only form, the record date for each interest payment date will be the close of business on the business day before the applicable interest payment date. If the Junior Subordinated Notes are not in book-entry only form, the record date for each interest payment date will be the close of business on the fifteenth calendar day (whether or not a business day) before the applicable interest payment date.

A “business day” is any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday, a day on which banks in New York City are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to remain closed, or a day on which the Corporate Trust Office of the Series Trustee is closed for business.

Option to Defer Interest Payments

So long as there is no event of default with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes under the Subordinated Indenture II pursuant to which the Junior Subordinated Notes will be issued, at our option, we may, on one or more occasions, defer payment of all or part of the current and accrued interest otherwise due on the Junior Subordinated Notes for a period of up to 10 consecutive years (each period, commencing on the date that the first such interest payment would otherwise have been made, an Optional Deferral Period). In other words, we may declare at our discretion up to a 10-year interest payment moratorium on the Junior Subordinated Notes and may choose to do that on more than one occasion. A deferral of interest payments may not end on a date other than an Interest Payment Date and may not extend beyond the maturity date of the Junior Subordinated Notes (which is July 30, 2076), and we may not begin a new Optional Deferral Period and may not pay current interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes until we have paid all accrued interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes from the previous Optional Deferral Period.

Any deferred interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes will accrue additional interest at a rate equal to the interest rate applicable to the Junior Subordinated Notes, to the extent permitted by applicable law. Once we pay all deferred interest payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes, including any additional interest accrued on the deferred interest, we can again defer interest payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes as described above, but not beyond the maturity date of the Junior Subordinated Notes.

We will give the Series Trustee written notice of our election to begin an Optional Deferral Period at least one business day before the record date for the next interest payment date which shall contain an instruction for the Series Trustee to forward such notice to the holders of the Junior Subordinated Notes. However, our failure to

 

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pay interest on any interest payment date will itself constitute the commencement of an Optional Deferral Period unless we pay such interest within five business days after the interest payment date, whether or not we provide a notice of deferral.

Certain Limitations During an Optional Deferral Period

Unless we have paid all accrued and payable interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes and are not deferring any interest payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes at such time, subject to several exceptions, we will not and our subsidiaries will not do any of the following:

 

(i)

declare or pay any dividends or distributions, or redeem, purchase, acquire, or make a liquidation payment on any of our capital stock;

 

(ii)

make any payment of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any of our debt securities that rank on a parity with, or junior to, the Junior Subordinated Notes (including debt securities of other series issued under the Subordinated Indenture II); or

 

(iii)

make any guarantee payments on any guarantee of debt securities if the guarantee ranks on a parity with or junior to the Junior Subordinated Notes.

However, the foregoing provisions shall not prevent or restrict us from making:

 

(a)

purchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of our capital stock in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or for the benefit of employees, officers, directors, agents or consultants or a stock purchase or dividend reinvestment plan, or the satisfaction of our obligations pursuant to any contract or security outstanding on the date that the payment of interest is deferred requiring us to purchase, redeem or acquire our capital stock;

 

(b)

any payment, repayment, redemption, purchase, acquisition or declaration of dividend described in clause (i) above as a result of a reclassification of our capital stock, or the exchange or conversion of all or a portion of one class or series of our capital stock for another class or series of our capital stock;

 

(c)

the purchase of fractional interests in shares of our capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of our capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged, or in connection with the settlement of stock purchase contracts outstanding on the date that the payment of interest is deferred or with any split, reclassification or similar transaction;

 

(d)

dividends or distributions paid or made in our capital stock (or rights to acquire our capital stock), or repurchases, redemptions or acquisitions of capital stock in connection with the issuance or exchange of capital stock (or of securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our capital stock) and distributions in connection with the settlement of stock purchase contracts outstanding on the date that the payment of interest is deferred;

 

(e)

redemptions, exchanges or repurchases of, or with respect to, any rights outstanding under a shareholder rights plan outstanding on the date that the payment of interest is deferred or the declaration or payment thereunder of a dividend or distribution of or with respect to rights in the future;

 

(f)

payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes, any trust preferred securities, subordinated debentures, junior subordinated debentures or junior subordinated notes, or any guarantees of any of the foregoing, in each case that rank equal in right of payment to the Junior Subordinated Notes, so long as the amount of payments made on account of such securities or guarantees is paid on all such securities and guarantees then outstanding on a pro rata basis in proportion to the full payment to which each series of such securities and guarantees is then entitled if paid in full;

 

(g)

any payment of deferred interest or principal on, or repayment, redemption or repurchase of, parity securities that, if not made, would cause us to breach the terms of the instrument governing such parity securities; or

 

(h)

make any regularly scheduled dividend or distribution payments declared prior to the date that the applicable Optional Deferral Period commences.

 

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Events of Default

The following are events of default under the Subordinated Indenture II:

 

•

our failure to pay principal when due;

 

•

our failure to pay interest when due and payable that continues for 30 days (subject to our right to optionally defer interest payments as described above under —Option to Defer Interest Payments);

 

•

our failure to perform other covenants that continues beyond the grace period described in the Subordinated Indenture II; or

 

•

certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization.

If such an event of default (other than certain events of bankruptcy) occurs under the Subordinated Indenture II, the Indenture Trustee or the holders of 25% of the principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes will have the right to declare the principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes and any accrued interest thereon, immediately due and payable. If an event of default consisting of certain events of bankruptcy occurs under the Subordinated Indenture II, the principal amount of all the outstanding Junior Subordinated Notes will automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the Indenture Trustee or any holder, become immediately due and payable. For more information on these and other events of default, see DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES—Events of Default in the accompanying base prospectus.

Agreement by Holders to Certain Tax Treatment

Each holder of the Junior Subordinated Notes will, by accepting the Junior Subordinated Notes or a beneficial interest therein, be deemed to have agreed that the holder intends that the Junior Subordinated Notes constitute debt and will treat the Junior Subordinated Notes as debt for United States federal, state and local tax purposes.

No Sinking Fund

The Junior Subordinated Notes will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

No Defeasance

Certain provisions of the Subordinated Indenture II relating to defeasance, described in the accompanying prospectus, shall not apply to the Junior Subordinated Notes.

Redemption

The Junior Subordinated Notes will mature on July 30, 2076, as described in this prospectus supplement, and may be redeemed before their maturity:

 

•

in whole or in part on one or more occasions on or after July 30, 2021, at 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest,

 

•

in whole, but not in part, before July 30, 2021, at 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, upon the occurrence of a Tax Event (see “—Right to Redeem at Tax Event” below), or

 

•

in whole, but not in part, on one or more occasions before July 30, 2021, at 102% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, at any time within 90 days after the conclusion of any review or appeal process instituted by us following the occurrence and continuation of a Rating Agency Event (see “—Right to Redeem at Rating Agency Event” below).

Right to Redeem at Tax Event

The Junior Subordinated Notes are redeemable, in whole, but not in part, before July 30, 2021, at 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, upon the occurrence of a Tax Event (as defined below).

 

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“Tax Event” means the receipt by us of an opinion of counsel experienced in such tax matters to the effect that, as a result of (a) any amendment to, clarification of, or change (including any announced prospective change) in the laws or treaties of the United States or any political subdivisions or taxing authorities, or any regulations under such laws or treaties, (b) any judicial decision or any official administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure, notice or announcement (including any notice or announcement of intent to issue or adopt any such administrative pronouncement, ruling, regulatory procedure or regulation), (c) any amendment to, clarification of, or change in the official position or the interpretation of any administrative action or judicial decision or any interpretation or pronouncement that provides for a position with respect to an administrative action or judicial decision that differs from the theretofore generally accepted position, in each case by any legislative body, court, governmental authority or regulatory body, irrespective of the time or manner in which such amendment, clarification or change is introduced or made known, or (d) threatened challenge asserted in writing in connection with an audit of us or any of our subsidiaries, or a publicly-known threatened challenge asserted in writing against any other taxpayer that has raised capital through the issuance of securities that are substantially similar to the Junior Subordinated Notes, which amendment, clarification, or change is effective, or which administrative action is taken or which judicial decision, interpretation or pronouncement is issued or threatened challenge is asserted or becomes publicly-known, in each case after the date of this prospectus supplement, there is more than an insubstantial risk that interest payable by us on the Junior Subordinated Notes is not deductible, or within 90 days would not be deductible, in whole or in part, by us for United States Federal income tax purposes.

Right to Redeem at Rating Agency Event

The Junior Subordinated Notes are redeemable in whole, but not in part, before July 30, 2021 at 102% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, at any time within 90 days after the conclusion of any review or appeal process instituted by us following the occurrence and continuation of a Rating Agency Event (as defined below).

“Rating Agency Event” means a change in the methodology employed by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act (sometimes referred to in this prospectus supplement as a “rating agency”) that currently publishes a rating for us in assigning equity credit to securities such as the Junior Subordinated Notes, as such methodology is in effect on the date of issuance of this prospectus supplement (the current criteria), which change results in:

 

•

the length of time for which such current criteria are scheduled to be in effect being shortened with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes, or

 

•

a lower or higher equity credit being assigned by such rating agency to the Junior Subordinated Notes as of the date of such change than the equity credit that would have been assigned to the Junior Subordinated Notes as of the date of such change by such rating agency pursuant to its current criteria.

The Series Trustee and Trustee

The Series Trustee for the Junior Subordinated Notes will be Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas. The series trustee will administer its corporate trust business at 60 Wall Street, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10005. We and certain of our affiliates maintain banking relationships with Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas also serves as trustee under other indentures under which we and certain of our affiliates have issued securities. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas and its affiliates have purchased, and are likely to purchase in the future, our securities and securities of our affiliates.

The Indenture Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture II is The Bank of New York Mellon (successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.). 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 under which securities of certain of our affiliates are outstanding. The Bank of New York Mellon and its affiliates have purchased, and are likely to purchase in the future, our securities and securities of our affiliates.

 

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BOOK-ENTRY PROCEDURES AND SETTLEMENT

Upon issuance, the Junior Subordinated Notes will be represented by one or more fully registered global certificates. Each global certificate is deposited with the Series Trustee on behalf of DTC as its custodian and is registered in the name of DTC or a nominee of DTC. DTC is thus the only registered holder of these securities.

The following is based on information furnished to us by DTC:

DTC, the world’s largest securities depository, is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. DTC holds and provides asset servicing for over 3.5 million issues of U.S. and non-U.S. equity issues, corporate and municipal debt issues, and money market instruments (from over 100 countries) that DTC’s participants (Direct Participants) deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the post-trade settlement among Direct Participants of sales and other securities transactions in deposited securities, through electronic computerized book-entry transfers and pledges between Direct Participants’ accounts. This eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct Participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations. DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC). DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly (Indirect Participants). DTC has a Standard & Poor’s rating of AA+. The DTC Rules applicable to its Participants are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. More information about DTC can be found at http://www.dtcc.com.

Purchases of the Junior Subordinated Notes under the DTC system must be made by or through Direct Participants, which will receive a credit for the Junior Subordinated Notes on DTC’s records. The ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each Junior Subordinated Note (Beneficial Owner) is in turn to be recorded on the Direct and Indirect Participants’ records. Beneficial Owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase. Beneficial Owners are, however, expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the Direct or Indirect Participant through which the Beneficial Owner entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the Junior Subordinated Notes are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of Direct and Indirect Participants acting on behalf of Beneficial Owners. Beneficial Owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in the Junior Subordinated Notes, except in the event that use of the book-entry system for the Junior Subordinated Notes is discontinued.

To facilitate subsequent transfers, all of the Junior Subordinated Notes deposited by Direct Participants with DTC are registered in the name of DTC’s partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. The deposit of the Junior Subordinated Notes with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other DTC nominee do not effect any change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual Beneficial Owners of the Junior Subordinated Notes; DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the Direct Participants to whose accounts such Junior Subordinated Notes are credited, which may or may not be the Beneficial Owners. The Direct and Indirect Participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to Direct Participants, by Direct Participants to Indirect Participants, and by Direct Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

 

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Redemption notices shall be sent to DTC. If less than all the Junior Subordinated Notes of a series are being redeemed, DTC’s practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each Direct Participant in the Junior Subordinated Notes to be redeemed.

Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (nor any other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes unless authorized by a Direct Participant in accordance with DTC’s MMI Procedures. Under its usual procedures, DTC mails an Omnibus Proxy to the Company as soon as possible after the record date. The Omnibus Proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s consenting or voting rights to those Direct Participants to whose accounts the Junior Subordinated Notes are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to the Omnibus Proxy).

Redemption proceeds on the Junior Subordinated Notes will be made to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. DTC’s practice is to credit Direct Participants’ accounts upon DTC’s receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from the Company or its agent, on payable date in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC’s records. Payments by Participants to Beneficial Owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such Participant and not of DTC, the Company or its agent, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of redemption proceeds to Cede & Co. (or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC) is the responsibility of the Company or its agent, disbursement of such payments to Direct Participants will be the responsibility of DTC, and disbursement of such payments to the Beneficial Owners will be the responsibility of Direct and Indirect Participants.

DTC may discontinue providing its services as depository with respect to the Junior Subordinated Notes at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Company or its agent. Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor depository is not obtained, Junior Subordinated Note certificates are required to be printed and delivered. The Company may decide to discontinue use of the system of book-entry-only transfers through DTC (or a successor securities depository). In that event, Junior Subordinated Note certificates will be printed and delivered to DTC.

The information in this section concerning DTC and DTC’s book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we take no responsibility for the accuracy thereof.

We have no responsibility for the performance by DTC or its Participants of their respective obligations as described in this prospectus or under the rules and procedures governing their respective operations.

 

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CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following discussion describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Junior Subordinated Notes and sets forth the opinions of McGuireWoods LLP, special tax counsel to Dominion. This discussion only applies to Junior Subordinated Notes held as capital assets by holders who purchase the Junior Subordinated Notes in the initial offering at their “issue price,” which will equal the first price to the public (not including bond houses, brokers or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents or wholesalers) at which a substantial amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes are sold for money. This discussion does not describe all of the tax considerations that may be relevant to holders in light of their particular circumstances or to holders subject to special rules, such as certain financial institutions, banks, insurance companies, tax-exempt entities, certain former citizens or residents of the United States, dealers in securities, traders in securities that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting, partnerships and other pass-through entities (and persons holding Junior Subordinated Notes through a partnership or other pass-through entity), persons holding Junior Subordinated Notes as part of a hedge, straddle, constructive sale, conversion transaction or other integrated transaction, holders whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, passive foreign investment companies, controlled foreign corporations and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax. In addition, this discussion does not address the effect of any state, local, foreign or other tax laws or any U.S. federal estate, gift or alternative minimum tax considerations. This discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), administrative pronouncements, judicial decisions and final, temporary and proposed U.S. Treasury regulations, all as in effect on the date hereof, and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

As used in this prospectus supplement, the term “U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of a Junior Subordinated Note that is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

•

an individual citizen or resident of the United States;

 

•

a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

•

an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

•

a trust (i) if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (ii) that was in existence on August 20, 1996, and has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a domestic trust.

As used in this prospectus supplement, the term “non-U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of a Junior Subordinated Note that is neither a U.S. holder nor a partnership (or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes).

Persons considering the purchase of Junior Subordinated Notes should consult their own tax advisors as to the U.S. federal income tax considerations relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of Junior Subordinated Notes in light of their particular circumstances, as well as the effect of any state, local, foreign or other tax laws.

Classification of the Junior Subordinated Notes

The determination of whether a security should be classified as indebtedness or equity for U.S. federal income tax purposes requires a judgment based on all relevant facts and circumstances. There is no statutory, judicial or administrative authority that directly addresses the U.S. federal income tax treatment of securities similar to the Junior Subordinated Notes. In the opinion of McGuireWoods LLP, under current law and based on the facts contained in this prospectus supplement, the terms of the Subordinated Indenture and the Junior

 

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Subordinated Notes, and certain assumptions and representations relied upon in rendering the opinion, the Junior Subordinated Notes will be treated as indebtedness of Dominion for U.S. federal income tax purposes (although there is no controlling authority directly on point). This opinion is not binding on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or any court and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will agree with this opinion. If the IRS were to successfully challenge the classification of the Junior Subordinated Notes as indebtedness, interest payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes would be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as dividends to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits. In the case of non-U.S. holders, distributions treated as dividends would be subject to withholding of U.S. income tax, except to the extent otherwise provided by an applicable income tax treaty. We agree, and by acquiring an interest in a Junior Subordinated Note each beneficial owner of a Junior Subordinated Note will agree, to treat the Junior Subordinated Notes as indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences that will arise if the Junior Subordinated Notes are not treated as indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The remainder of this discussion assumes that the Junior Subordinated Notes will be respected as indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

U.S. Holders

Payments of Interest.

Except as described below, a U.S. holder will be taxed on any stated interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes at the time that such interest is received or accrued, in accordance with such U.S. holder’s method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Original Issue Discount.

Special rules apply with respect to debt instruments that are issued with original issue discount (OID). Under applicable Treasury regulations relating to OID, the possibility that stated interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes might be deferred (see DESCRIPTION OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES—Option to Defer Interest Payments) could result in the Junior Subordinated Notes being treated as issued with OID, unless the likelihood of such deferral is considered remote. We believe and intend to take the position that the likelihood of exercising our option to defer payment of stated interest is remote within the meaning of the Treasury regulations in part because the exercise of the option to defer payments of stated interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes generally would prevent us from: (1) declaring or paying any dividend or distribution on our capital stock; (2) redeeming, purchasing, acquiring or making a liquidation payment with respect to any of our capital stock; (3) paying any principal, interest or premium on, or repaying, repurchasing or redeeming any of our debt securities that rank on parity with, or junior to, the Junior Subordinated Notes; or (4) making any payments with respect to any guarantee of debt securities if such guarantee ranks on parity with or junior to the Junior Subordinated Notes. Similarly, in certain circumstances (e.g., DESCRIPTION OF THE JUNIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES—Redemption), we may be obligated to pay amounts in excess of stated interest on or principal of the Junior Subordinated Notes. Such excess payments will not affect the amount of interest income that a U.S. holder recognizes if there is only a remote likelihood that such payments will be made. We believe and intend to take the position that the likelihood that we will make any such payments is remote. Our determination regarding the remoteness of these contingencies is binding on a holder, unless the holder discloses in the proper manner to the IRS that it is taking a different position. Based on these positions, the Junior Subordinated Notes should not be treated as having been issued with OID. Accordingly, except as set forth below, each U.S. holder should include in gross income that holder’s allocable share of interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes in accordance with that holder’s method of tax accounting.

However, if the IRS successfully challenged our position regarding the remoteness of the contingencies described above, the Junior Subordinated Notes would be treated as issued with OID at the time of issuance. If the possibility of interest deferral were determined not to be remote, the Junior Subordinated Notes would be treated as issued with OID and all stated interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes would be treated as OID. Furthermore, if payments of stated interest on the Junior Subordinated Notes are deferred, the Junior

 

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Subordinated Notes may at that time be treated, solely for purposes of determining the amount of OID on the Junior Subordinated Notes, as having been retired and reissued with OID, and the sum of the remaining interest payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes would be OID. In the event the Junior Subordinated Notes are treated as issued with OID, each U.S. holder would be required to accrue and include OID in taxable income on a constant yield basis before the receipt of the cash attributable to the interest (regardless of that U.S. holder’s method of tax accounting), and actual distributions of stated interest would not be reported as taxable income.

If the possibility of excess payments were determined not to be remote, the Junior Subordinated Notes could be treated as “contingent payment debt instruments,” in which case a U.S. holder would be required to accrue interest income on the Junior Subordinated Notes in excess of stated interest and treat as ordinary income rather than as capital gain any income realized on the taxable disposition of Junior Subordinated Notes. In the event excess payments are made, the U.S. holder will be required to recognize such amounts as income. The remainder of this discussion assumes that the Junior Subordinated Notes will not be treated as contingent payment debt instruments.

Sale, Exchange, Redemption or Retirement of the Junior Subordinated Notes

Upon the sale, exchange, redemption or retirement of a Junior Subordinated Note, a U.S. holder generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale, exchange, redemption or retirement and that U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Junior Subordinated Note. For these purposes, the amount realized does not include any amount attributable to accrued but unpaid interest not previously included in income, which will constitute ordinary income. If the Junior Subordinated Notes have not been subject to the OID rules, then a U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Junior Subordinated Notes generally will be its initial purchase price. If the Junior Subordinated Notes have been subject to the OID rules, then a U.S. holder’s tax basis in a Junior Subordinated Note would be increased by any OID previously includible in that U.S. holder’s gross income through the date of disposition and decreased by payments received by that U.S. holder on the Junior Subordinated Notes in respect of accrued OID. Gain or loss realized on the sale, exchange, redemption or retirement of a Junior Subordinated Note generally will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if at the time of the sale, exchange, redemption or retirement the Junior Subordinated Note has been held by that U.S. holder for more than one year. A U.S. holder that is an individual generally is entitled to preferential treatment for net long-term capital gains. Any capital losses realized generally may be used by a corporate taxpayer only to offset capital gains, and by an individual taxpayer only to the extent of capital gains plus $3,000 of other income.

Medicare Tax

Certain U.S. holders that are individuals, estates or trusts are subject to a 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which may include all or a portion of their interest income and net gains from the disposition of the Junior Subordinated Notes. Each U.S. holder that is an individual, estate or trust is urged to consult its tax advisors regarding the applicability of this Medicare tax to its income and gains in respect of its investment in the Junior Subordinated Notes.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

Information reporting requirements generally apply in connection with payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes to, and proceeds from a sale or other disposition of Junior Subordinated Notes by, non-corporate U.S. holders. A U.S. holder will be subject to backup withholding tax on such payments and proceeds if the U.S. holder fails to provide its correct taxpayer identification number to the paying agent in the manner required under U.S. federal income tax law, fails to comply with applicable backup withholding tax rules or does not otherwise establish an exemption from backup withholding. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will entitle that U.S. holder to a credit against that U.S. holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle that U.S. holder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely and properly furnished to the IRS.

 

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U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of backup withholding in their particular situation, the availability of an exemption from backup withholding and the procedure for obtaining such an exemption, if available.

Non-U.S. Holders

Subject to the discussion below under “Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act” and assuming that the Junior Subordinated Notes will be treated as indebtedness for U.S. federal income tax purposes, no withholding of U.S. federal income tax will apply to interest paid on a Junior Subordinated Note to a non-U.S. holder under the “portfolio interest exemption,” provided that:

 

•

the interest is not effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States;

 

•

the non-U.S. holder does not actually or constructively own 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock entitled to vote;

 

•

the non-U.S. holder is not a bank whose receipt of interest with respect to a Junior Subordinated Note is described in Section 881(a)(3)(A) of the Code;

 

•

the non-U.S. holder is not a controlled foreign corporation that is related directly or constructively to us through stock ownership; and

 

•

the non-U.S. holder provides to the withholding agent, in accordance with specified procedures, a statement to the effect that such non-U.S. holder is not a United States person (generally by providing a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable).

If a non-U.S. holder cannot satisfy the requirements of the portfolio interest exemption described above, interest paid on the Junior Subordinated Notes (including payments in respect of OID, if any, on the Junior Subordinated Notes) made to a non-U.S. holder will be subject to a 30% U.S. federal withholding tax, unless that non-U.S. holder provides the withholding agent with a properly executed statement (i) claiming an exemption from or reduction of withholding under an applicable U.S. income tax treaty or (ii) stating that the interest is not subject to withholding tax because it is effectively connected with that non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States.

If a non-U.S. holder is engaged in a trade or business in the United States (or, if an applicable U.S. income tax treaty applies, if the non-U.S. holder maintains a permanent establishment within the United States) and the interest is effectively connected with the conduct of that trade or business (or, if an applicable U.S. income tax treaty applies, attributable to that permanent establishment), that non-U.S. holder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the interest on a net income basis in the same manner as if that non-U.S. holder were a U.S. holder (as described above). In addition, if such non-U.S. holder is a foreign corporation, it may also, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a 30% rate or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty.

Subject to the discussion below under “Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act,” any gain realized on the disposition of a Junior Subordinated Note generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless:

 

•

that gain is effectively connected with the non-U.S. holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (or, if an applicable U.S. income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the non-U.S. holder within the United States); or

 

•

the non-U.S. holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the disposition and certain other conditions are met.

The amount of interest paid on the Junior Subordinated Notes to non-U.S. holders generally must be reported annually to the IRS. These reporting requirements apply regardless of whether withholding was reduced

 

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or eliminated by any applicable income tax treaty. Copies of the information returns reflecting income in respect of the Junior Subordinated Notes may also be made available to the tax authorities in the country in which the non-U.S. holder is a resident under the provisions of an applicable income tax treaty or information sharing agreement.

A non-U.S. holder generally will not be subject to additional information reporting or to backup withholding with respect to payments on the Junior Subordinated Notes or to information reporting or backup withholding with respect to proceeds from the sale or other disposition of Junior Subordinated Notes to or through a U.S. office of any broker, as long as the holder:

 

•

has furnished to the payor or broker a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, certifying, under penalties of perjury, the non-U.S. holder’s status as a non-U.S. person;

 

•

has furnished to the payor or broker other documentation upon which it may rely to treat the payments as made to a non-U.S. person in accordance with applicable Treasury regulations; or

 

•

otherwise establishes an exemption.

The payment of the proceeds from a sale or other disposition of Junior Subordinated Notes to or through a foreign office of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, a sale or disposition of Junior Subordinated Notes will be subject to information reporting, but not backup withholding, if it is to or through a foreign office of a U.S. broker or a non-U.S. broker with certain enumerated connections with the United States unless the documentation requirements described above are met or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption.

Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules from a payment to a non-U.S. holder will be allowed as a credit against such holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, or will otherwise be refundable, provided that the requisite procedures are followed and the proper information is filed with the IRS on a timely basis. Non-U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding their qualification for exemption from backup withholding and the procedure for obtaining such exemption, if applicable.

Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act

Pursuant to the Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), enacted on March 18, 2010, and under associated Treasury regulations and related administrative guidance, a U.S. federal withholding tax at a 30% rate applies to interest payments, as well as gross proceeds in respect of a sale or other disposition of debt obligations occurring after December 31, 2018, received by certain non-U.S. holders, if certain disclosure requirements related to U.S. ownership or accounts are not satisfied (generally by providing a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or other applicable and/or successor forms). An applicable intergovernmental agreement regarding FATCA between the U.S. and a foreign jurisdiction may modify the rules discussed in this paragraph. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of FATCA to their investment in the Junior Subordinated Notes. If U.S. federal withholding tax under FATCA, or otherwise, is required on payments made to any holder of Junior Subordinated Notes, such withheld amount will be paid to the IRS. That payment, if made, will be treated as a payment of cash to the holder of the Junior Subordinated Notes with respect to whom the payment was made and will reduce the amount of cash to which such holder would otherwise be entitled.

The U.S. federal income tax discussion set forth above is included for general information only and may not be applicable depending upon a holder’s particular situation. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences to them of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Junior Subordinated Notes, including the tax consequences under state, local, foreign and other tax laws.

 

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UNDERWRITING

Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an underwriting agreement, dated the date of this prospectus supplement (Underwriting Agreement), the underwriters named below have severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to them, the principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes set forth opposite their names below:

 

Name		Principal Amount   of Junior Subordinated Notes
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith                      Incorporated		$
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
UBS Securities LLC
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
Total		$

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, UBS Securities LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as joint book-running managers in connection with the offering of the Junior Subordinated Notes.

The Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligation of the several underwriters to purchase and pay for the Junior Subordinated Notes is subject to, among other things, the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and certain other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the Junior Subordinated Notes if any are taken.

We have granted the underwriters an option to purchase within eight business days after July     , 2016 up to an additional $                 principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes at the public offering price less the underwriting discount in order to cover over-allotments, if any. To the extent that the underwriters exercise this option, the underwriters are obligated to severally purchase the applicable Junior Subordinated Notes in approximately the same proportion as the proportions indicated in the table above.

We have agreed, for a period of 30 days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement or, if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option, from the date of such exercise, to not, without the prior written consent of the representatives of the underwriters, directly or indirectly, sell or offer to sell or otherwise dispose of any Junior Subordinated Notes or any security convertible into or exchangeable for Junior Subordinated Notes or any debt securities substantially similar to Junior Subordinated Notes (except for the Junior Subordinated Notes issued pursuant to this offering).

We will compensate the underwriters by selling the Junior Subordinated Notes to them at a price that is less than the price to the public by the amount of the “Underwriting Discount” set forth on the cover of this prospectus supplement. The underwriters will sell the Junior Subordinated Notes to the public at the price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and may sell the Junior Subordinated Notes to certain dealers at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $                 per Junior Subordinated Note under the price to the public; provided that the concession will be $                 per Junior Subordinated Note for sales to institutions. Any underwriter may allow, and the dealers may reallow, a concession not in excess of $                 per Junior Subordinated Note to other underwriters or to other dealers, provided that there will be no concession with respect to sales to institutions.

 

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The following table shows the public offering price, underwriting discount to be paid to the underwriters and proceeds, before expenses, to us. The information assumes either no exercise or full exercise by the underwriters of their option, discussed above, to purchase additional Junior Subordinated Notes. Where the underwriters’ option is assumed to have been exercised in full, the information also assumes that there were no sales to institutions under the option.

 

Without Option

With Option

Public Offering Price

$

$

Underwriting Discount(1)

$

$

Proceeds to Company (before expenses)(1)

$

$

 

(1)	As a result of sales to institutions with respect to $                 principal amount of the Junior Subordinated Notes, the underwriting discount decreased, and the total proceeds to us increased, by $                , which amounts are reflected in the table above.

We estimate that the total expenses of the offering, not including the underwriting discount, will be approximately $700,000 and will be payable by us.

We have agreed to indemnify each of the underwriters and their controlling persons against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

The Junior Subordinated Notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading market. We intend to apply to list the Junior Subordinated Notes on the New York Stock Exchange and trading of the Junior Subordinated Notes on the New York Stock Exchange is expected to begin within a 30-day period after the Junior Subordinated Notes are first issued. We have been advised by the underwriters that they intend to make a market in the Junior Subordinated Notes prior to commencement of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The underwriters are not obligated, however, to do so and may discontinue their market making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the development, maintenance or liquidity of the trading market for the Junior Subordinated Notes.

In order to facilitate the offering of the Junior Subordinated Notes, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the Junior Subordinated Notes. Specifically, the underwriters may overallot in connection with the offering, creating a short position in the Junior Subordinated Notes for the underwriters. In addition, to cover overallotments or to stabilize the price of the Junior Subordinated Notes, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, the Junior Subordinated Notes in the open market. Finally, the underwriters may reclaim selling concessions allowed to a dealer for distributing the Junior Subordinated Notes in the offering, if they repurchase previously distributed Junior Subordinated Notes in transactions to cover short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price for the Junior Subordinated Notes above independent market levels. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities and may end any of these activities at any time.

The underwriters and their affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and currently perform and may in the future perform various investment or commercial banking, lending, trust and financial advisory services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. If any of the underwriters or their affiliates has a lending relationship with us, certain of those underwriters or their affiliates routinely hedge and certain other of those underwriters or their affiliates may hedge their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. Typically, these underwriters and their

 

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affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities, including potentially the Junior Subordinated Notes offered hereby. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the Junior Subordinated Notes offered hereby. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

The underwriters have represented and agreed that they have not and will not offer, sell or deliver the Junior Subordinated Notes, directly or indirectly, or distribute this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus or any other offering material relating to the Junior Subordinated Notes, in any jurisdiction except under circumstances that will result, to the best of their knowledge, in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and that will not impose any obligations on us except as set forth in the underwriting agreement.

Conflicts of Interest

If more than 5% of the net proceeds of this offering, not including underwriting compensation, will be received by affiliates of certain underwriters in this offering, this offering will be conducted in compliance with FINRA Rule 5121, as administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Pursuant to that rule, the appointment of a qualified independent underwriter is not necessary in connection with this offering.

T+5 Settlement

We expect that delivery of the Junior Subordinated Notes will be made against payment for the Junior Subordinated Notes on the Settlement Date, which will be the fifth business day following the date of this prospectus supplement (this settlement cycle being referred to as “T+5”). Under Rule 15c6-1 of the SEC under the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days, unless the parties to that trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade Junior Subordinated Notes on the date of this prospectus supplement or the next succeeding business day will be required, by virtue of the fact that the Junior Subordinated Notes initially will settle in T+5, to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement and should consult their own advisers.

LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters in connection with the offering of the Junior Subordinated Notes will be passed upon for us by McGuireWoods LLP, and for the underwriters 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, 2015 and the effectiveness of the Company’s 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 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 RESOURCES, 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.

 

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 December 19, 2014.

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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” or the “Company” in this prospectus, we are referring to Dominion Resources, 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. 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 later information that we file 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 Gas Holdings, LLC (Dominion Gas). Our combined filings with the SEC present separate filings by each of Virginia Power, Dominion 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 Gas as a separate registrant, until we sell all of the securities:

 

•

Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013;

 

•

Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2014; June 30, 2014; and September 30, 2014;

 

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•

Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed January 23, 2014, February 4, 2014, March 24, 2014, May 7, 2014, May 19, 2014, June 2, 2014, July 1, 2014, September 2, 2014, October 3, 2014 and November 25, 2014; and

 

•

the description of our common stock contained in Amendment No. 1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed June 25, 2013.

 

You may request a copy of these filings at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at: Corporate Secretary, Dominion Resources, Inc., 120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, (804) 819-2000.

 

You should rely only on the information contained 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

 

Dominion, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia and incorporated in Virginia in 1983, is one of the nation’s largest producers and transporters of energy. We presently serve nearly 5 million utility and retail energy customers in 10 states and operate one of the nation’s largest underground natural gas storage systems.

 

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Our strategy is to be a leading provider of electricity, natural gas and related services to customers primarily in the eastern region of the U.S. Our portfolio of assets includes electric generating capacity, electric transmission lines, electric distribution lines, natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline and gas distribution pipeline. Our generation mix is diversified and includes coal, nuclear, gas, oil, hydro, renewables and purchased power. We are focused on expanding our investment in regulated electric generation, transmission and distribution and regulated natural gas transmission and distribution infrastructure within and around our existing footprint. Our non-regulated activities include merchant generation, energy marketing and price risk management activities.

 

We are a holding company that conducts all of our operations through our subsidiaries. Our principal direct, legal subsidiaries include Virginia Power, a regulated public utility that generates, transmits and distributes electricity for sale in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, Dominion Gas, a holding company for the majority of our regulated natural gas businesses, which conduct business activities through an interstate natural gas transmission pipeline system and storage facilities, a local natural gas distribution network and natural gas gathering, processing and treatment facilities, and Dominion Energy, Inc., which is involved in merchant generation, energy marketing and price risk management activities.

 

We also own the general partner and 68.5% of the limited partner interests in Dominion Midstream Partners, LP, which owns a $50 million preferred equity interest and the general partner interest in Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP, which owns liquefied natural gas import, storage, regasification and transportation assets.

 

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

 

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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.

 

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 to be entered into at a future date by us and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Trustee, 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 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 obligation 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

 

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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 September 30, 2014, our subsidiaries had approximately $10.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of outstanding long-term debt (including securities due within one year).

 

The Indentures do not limit the amount of Debt Securities that we may issue. We may issue Debt Securities from time to time under the Indentures in one or more series by entering into supplemental indentures or 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:

 

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the title and type of the Debt Securities;

 

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the total principal amount of the Debt Securities;

 

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

 

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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;

 

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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;

 

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

 

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

 

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any optional redemption terms, or any repayment terms;

 

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

 

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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;

 

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•

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;

 

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

 

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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);

 

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

 

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

 

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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;

 

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

 

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any changes to events of defaults or covenants;

 

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

 

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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:

 

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redeemable on and after the applicable redemption dates;

 

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

 

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•

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.)

 

We will not be required to:

 

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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

 

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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 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:

 

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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

 

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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.)

 

 

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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 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 4.4 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.)

 

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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.

 

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:

 

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

 

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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:

 

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

 

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

 

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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 2.2 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

 

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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:

 

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Dominion;

 

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the applicable trustee; or

 

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any agent of any of the above.

 

Covenants

 

Under the Indentures we will:

 

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

 

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maintain a place of payment;

 

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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;

 

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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

 

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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, 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.)

 

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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:

 

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

 

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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;

 

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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;

 

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

 

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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.)

 

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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 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:

 

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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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 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

 

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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 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 expected to be the Trustee under the Senior Indenture if we enter into 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

 

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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 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:

 

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on the specified Repayment Dates; and

 

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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:

 

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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

 

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•

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 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 Notes 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 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

 

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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;

 

(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

 

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•

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.)

 

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.

 

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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;

 

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

 

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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 September 30, 2014, 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 September 30, 2014, approximately 584 million shares of common stock were issued and outstanding. No holder of shares of common stock or preferred stock has any preemptive rights.

 

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.

 

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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 Agents and Registrars

 

We, along with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, are transfer agent and registrar for our common stock. You may contact us at the address listed on page 2 or at Continental located at 17 Battery Place, 8th Floor, New York, New York 10004.

 

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

 

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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.

 

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

 

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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.

 

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.

 

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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.

 

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

 

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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.

 

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.

 

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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;

 

•

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

 

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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, 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. As of September 30, 2014, partners of McGuireWoods LLP owned less than one-half of one percent of our common stock. 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 Resources, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 and the effectiveness of the Dominion Resources, 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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