Skip to main content
C
CorpDigest
Search

Dominion Energy, Inc.

Electric & Gas UtilitiesFounded 1983
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Founders

Who Founded Dominion Energy?

Dominion Resources · Founded 1983 · HQ today: Richmond, Virginia

Who founded Dominion Energy?

Dominion Energy was founded by Dominion Resources in 1983 in Virginia, United States. It is now led by Robert M. Blue.

Founders
Dominion Resources
Founded
1983
Headquarters
Richmond, Virginia
Number of founders
1
Current CEO
Robert M. Blue (since 2020)
Where was Dominion Energy founded?
Dominion Energy was founded in Virginia, United States in 1983. wikidata.org
When was Dominion Energy founded?
Dominion Energy was founded in 1983.
Who started Dominion Energy?
Dominion Energy was founded by Dominion Resources.
How old is Dominion Energy?
Dominion Energy is 43 years old as of 2026.

Founding Story

Dominion's lineage runs through Virginia Railway and Power Company, a 1909 consolidation of Richmond-area streetcar and electric companies associated with financier Frank Jay Gould, which became Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO) in 1925. The company also traces its oldest roots to an 18th-century Appomattox River navigation company. In 1983 VEPCO reorganized under a new holding company, Dominion Resources, which renamed itself Dominion Energy in 2017.

Dominion Resources

Co-founder 1983

Background

Holding company formed by Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO), whose predecessors include Virginia Railway and Power Company (1909).

Role at Dominion Energy, Inc.

Dominion Resources, Inc. was created in 1983 as the holding company for VEPCO under the leadership of William W. Berry, giving the Richmond utility flexibility to invest in natural gas and non-utility energy businesses. Through acquisitions such as Consolidated Natural Gas (2000), Questar (2016) and SCANA (2019) it became one of the largest U.S. utilities. It renamed itself Dominion Energy in 2017. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).

Dominion Energy, Inc.: CEO & Leadership History

Full timeline →

Robert M. Blue

Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer

2020 – Present

Repositioned Dominion as a mostly regulated electric utility centered on Virginia and the Carolinas.

Thomas F. Farrell II

Former Chair and Chief Executive Officer

2006 – 2020

Expanded Dominion into a large diversified energy company before the shift back to regulated utilities. He died in April 2021.

Keep researching Dominion Energy

Who Founded Dominion Energy? FAQ

How was the Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO) formed in 1909?

VEPCO was created in 1909 through the consolidation of numerous local electric street railway, gas lighting, and hydroelectric generating companies in Richmond, Norfolk, and Petersburg, establishing Virginia's premier electric utility.

What was Frank Jay Gould's role in the development of Virginia's early electric railways?

Frank Jay Gould, son of railroad financier Jay Gould, acquired the Richmond and Petersburg electric streetcar lines in the early 1900s, consolidating them into the Virginia Railway and Power Company (which became VEPCO in 1925).

How did VEPCO pioneer commercial nuclear power in the American South?

In the late 1960s and 1970s, VEPCO engineers constructed the Surry Power Station (commissioned in 1972) and North Anna Power Station (commissioned in 1978), making Virginia an early national leader in peaceful commercial nuclear power generation.

Why was the holding company 'Dominion Resources' created in 1983?

In 1983, VEPCO shareholders voted to establish Dominion Resources, Inc. as a holding company. This corporate reorganization provided financial flexibility to invest in independent power generation, natural gas transmission, and commercial energy operations.

What happened to VEPCO's historic streetcar operations in Richmond and Norfolk?

Richmond's 1888 electric streetcar system, built by Frank Sprague, was one of the first successful in the world and became part of the company's predecessor network. Streetcar service was phased out in the late 1940s as the business focused on electric utility service.

Where did the name 'Dominion Energy' originate?

The name 'Dominion' honors the historic moniker of Virginia, the 'Old Dominion', given to the colony by King Charles II of England in the 17th century for its loyalty during the English Civil War.

Who founded Dominion Energy?

Frank Jay Gould, the son of the legendary American railroad robber baron Jay Gould, founded the company in 1909 to consolidate the chaotic, highly fragmented streetcar systems of Richmond, Virginia into a single, profitable monopoly.

Related Founder Profiles

Compare founding stories, origins, and entrepreneurial journeys

Competitor

Nextera Energy

View Founder Profiles
Competitor

Duke Energy

View Founder Profiles
Competitor

Southern Company

View Founder Profiles
Competitor

Exelon

View Founder Profiles
Competitor

Berkshire Hathaway

View Founder Profiles

Explore Dominion Energy

Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.

Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.