NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) Jan. 10, 2000--Standard&Poor's today assigned its preliminary triple-'B'-plus/triple-'B'/triple-'B'-minus ratings to Dominion Resources Inc.'s $4.5 billion Rule 415 shelf registration of senior debt securities, junior subordinated debentures, trust preferred securities, and preferred securities. Dominion expects to use the net proceeds from the sale of its securities to finance the merger with Consolidated Natural Gas Co. (CNG), refinance the debt incurred in connection with the CNG merger, and for other general corporate purposes. Dominion is acquiring CNG in a stock and cash transaction that has received virtually all necessary regulatory approvals and is expected to close this month. The ratings for Dominion and its CNG affiliate reflect a consolidated rating methodology, resulting in the
