Exhibit 1.1

                       VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

                                   1,250 UNITS
                      EACH UNIT CONSISTS OF 1,000 SHARES OF
         FLEXIBLE MONEY MARKET CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK (FLEX MMP(R))
              2002 SERIES A (LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE $100 PER SHARE)

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

                                                                December 5, 2002

Lehman Brothers Inc.
    for itself and as Representative for the Underwriters
    named in Schedule I, attached to this Underwriting Agreement

c/o Lehman Brothers Inc.
745 7th Avenue
New York, New York  10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

             The undersigned, Virginia Electric and Power Company (the
"Company"), hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters named in
Schedule I hereto (the "Agreement") with respect to the issuance and sale to the
several Underwriters named in Schedule I of the shares of the Company's Flexible
Money Market Cumulative Preferred Stock 2002 Series A, liquidation preference
$100 per Share (the "Series A Shares"). The Company confirms its agreement with
the Underwriters with respect to the issuance of the Series A Shares and the
sale to the several Underwriters of the number of Units, each Unit consisting of
1,000 Series A Shares (the "Units"), specified in Schedule II hereto, and the
public offering thereof by the several Underwriters, upon the terms specified in
Schedule II.

         1.  Underwriters and Representatives. The term "Underwriters" as used
herein shall be deemed to mean the several persons, firms or corporations
(including the Representative hereinafter mentioned) named in Schedule I hereto,
and the term "Representative" as used herein shall be deemed to mean the
Representative to whom this Agreement is addressed, who by signing this
Agreement represents that it has been authorized by the other Underwriters to
execute this Agreement on their behalf and to act for them in the manner herein
provided. If there shall be only one person, firm or corporation named in
Schedule I hereto, the term "Underwriters" as used herein shall mean that
person, firm or corporation. All obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are
several and not joint. Unless otherwise stated, any action under or in respect
of this Agreement taken by the Representative will be binding upon all the
Underwriters.

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(R) Registered Trademark of Lehman Brothers Inc.




         2.  Description of the Units. Schedule II specifies the total number of
the Units, the initial public offering price of the Units and the purchase price
to be paid by the Underwriters, and sets forth the date, time and manner of
delivery of the Units and payment therefor. Schedule II also specifies (to the
extent not set forth in Sections 4 and 5 herein, the Registration Statement and
Prospectus referred to below) the terms and provisions for the purchase of such
Units.

         3.  Representations  and  Warranties  of the Company.  The Company
represents  and  warrants  to, and agrees  with,  the Underwriters that:

                  (a) A registration statement, No. 333-96973 on Form S-3 for
         the registration of the Series A Shares comprising the Units under the
         Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), heretofore
         filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
         has become effective. The registration statement, including all
         exhibits thereto, as amended through the date hereof, is hereinafter
         referred to as the "Registration Statement"; the prospectus relating to
         the preferred stock of the Company and other securities included in the
         Registration Statement, which prospectus is now proposed to be
         supplemented by a prospectus supplement relating to the Series A Shares
         comprising the Units to be filed with the Commission under the
         Securities Act, as completed and as so supplemented, is hereinafter
         referred to as the "Prospectus". As used herein, the terms
         "Registration Statement" and "Prospectus" include all documents
         (including any Current Report on Form 8-K) incorporated therein by
         reference, and shall include any documents (including any Current
         Report on Form 8-K) filed after the date of such Registration Statement
         or Prospectus and incorporated therein by reference from the date of
         filing of such incorporated documents (collectively, the "Incorporated
         Documents").

                  (b) No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
         Statement or otherwise preventing or suspending the use of the
         Prospectus has been issued by the Commission and is in effect and no
         proceedings for that purpose are pending before or, to the knowledge of
         the Company, threatened by the Commission. The Registration Statement
         and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the provisions
         of the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
         (the "Securities Exchange Act"), and the rules, regulations and
         releases of the Commission thereunder (the "Rules and Regulations);
         neither the Registration Statement on the date it was declared
         effective (the Effective Date") nor the Prospectus on the date hereof
         contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
         or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
         necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and, on the
         Closing Date (as defined below), the Registration Statement and the
         Prospectus (including any amendments and supplements thereto), will
         conform in all respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and
         the Rules and Regulations, and neither of such documents will include
         any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
         fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
         therein not misleading; provided, that the foregoing representations
         and warranties in this Section 3(b) shall not apply to statements in or
         omissions from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus made in
         reliance upon information furnished herein or in writing to the Company
         by the Underwriters or on the Underwriters' behalf through the
         Representative for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus; and
         provided, further, that the foregoing representations and warranties
         are given on the basis that any

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         statement contained in an Incorporated Document shall be deemed not to
         be contained in the Registration Statement or Prospectus if the
         statement has been modified or superseded by any statement in a
         subsequently filed Incorporated Document or in the Registration
         Statement or Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto.

                  (c) Except as reflected in, or contemplated by, the
         Registration Statement and Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or
         supplements after the date hereof), since the respective most recent
         dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
         and Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements after the
         date hereof), there has not been any material adverse change or event
         which would result in a material adverse effect on the condition of the
         Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, financial or otherwise
         (a "Material Adverse Effect"). The Company and its subsidiaries taken
         as a whole have no material contingent financial obligation which is
         not disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

                  (d) Deloitte & Touche LLP, who have certified certain of the
         Company's financial statements filed with the Commission and
         incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, are
         independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act and
         the Rules and Regulations.

                  (e) There are no  Significant  Subsidiaries  of the Company as
         such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of  Regulation S-X.

                  (f) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
         and the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this
         Agreement and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance
         and sale of the Series A Shares comprising the Units and the use of
         the proceeds from the sale of the Series A Shares comprising the Units
         as described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds")
         and compliance by the Company with its obligations under this
         Agreement, do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of
         notice or lapse of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach
         of, or default under or result in the creation or imposition of any
         lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company
         or any subsidiary pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed
         of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or any other agreement
         or instrument, to which the Company or any subsidiary is a party or by
         which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property
         or assets of the Company or any subsidiary is subject (except for such
         conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or encumbrances that
         would not have a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result
         in any violation of the provisions of the charter or bylaws of the
         Company or any subsidiary, or any applicable law, statute, rule,
         regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government,
         government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having
         jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary or any of their
         respective properties, assets or operations, and the Company has full
         power and authority to authorize, issue and sell the Series A Shares
         comprising the Units as contemplated by this Agreement.

                  (g) The Series A Shares comprising the Units have been duly
         authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms
         of this Agreement, will be validly

                                      -3-



         issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such Series
         A Shares comprising the Units will not be subject to any preemptive or
         similar rights.

                  (h) The Company is not, and, after giving effect to the
         offering and sale of the Series A Shares comprising the Units and the
         application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Prospectus,
         will not be, an "investment company" or a company "controlled" by an
         "investment company" which is required to be registered under the
         Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

         4.  Purchase and Public Offering. On the basis of the representations
and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions in this
Agreement set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each of the Underwriters, and
each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
Company, at the price, place and time hereinafter specified, the number of the
Units set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto. The
Underwriters agree to make a public offering of their respective Units specified
in Schedule I hereto at the initial public offering price specified in Schedule
II hereto. It is understood that after such initial offering, the several
Underwriters reserve the right to vary the offering price and further reserve
the right to withdraw, cancel or modify any subsequent offering without notice.

             The Company shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Units
to be delivered on the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) except upon payment
for all the Units to be purchased on such Closing Date as provided herein.

         5.  Time and Place of Closing. Delivery of the Units to, and payment
therefor by, the Underwriters shall be made at the time, place and date
specified in Schedule II or such other time, place and date as the
Representative and the Company may agree upon in writing. The hour and date of
such delivery and payment are herein called the "Closing Date". On the Closing
Date, the Company, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company
("DTC"), shall deliver or cause to be delivered a securities entitlement with
respect to the Units to the Underwriters against payment of the purchase price
by wire transfer of same-day funds to a bank account designated by the Company.
Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and place specified
pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the Underwriters'
obligation hereunder. Upon delivery, the Series A Shares comprising the Units
shall be registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for DTC.

         6.  Covenants of the Company.  The Company agrees that:

                  (a) If the Representative so requests, the Company, on or
         prior to the Closing Date, will deliver to the Representative conformed
         copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed, including all
         exhibits, any related preliminary prospectus supplement, the Prospectus
         and all amendments and supplements to each such document, in each case
         as soon as available and in such quantities as are reasonably requested
         by the Representative. The Representative will be deemed to have made
         such a request for copies for each of the several Underwriters and
         Troutman Sanders LLP, counsel to the Underwriters, with respect to any
         such documents that are not electronically available through the
         Commission's EDGAR filing system.

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                  (b) The Company will pay all expenses in connection with (i)
         the preparation and filing by it of the Registration Statement and the
         Prospectus, (ii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Series A
         Shares comprising the Units, and (iii) the printing and delivery to the
         Underwriters, in reasonable quantities, of copies of the Registration
         Statement and the Prospectus (each as originally filed and as
         subsequently amended). In addition, the Company will pay the reasonable
         out of pocket fees and disbursements of Underwriters' outside counsel,
         Troutman Sanders LLP, in connection with the qualification of the
         Series A Shares comprising the Units under state securities or blue sky
         laws or investment laws (if and to the extent such qualification is
         required by the Underwriters or the Company).

                  (c) If, during the time when a prospectus relating to the
         Series A Shares comprising the Units is required to be delivered under
         the Securities Act, any event occurs as a result of which the
         Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue
         statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
         necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
         circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is
         necessary at any time to amend the Prospectus to comply with the
         Securities Act, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Underwriters
         through the Representative to suspend solicitation of purchases of the
         Units and (ii) at its expense, prepare and file with the Commission an
         amendment or supplement which will correct such statement or omission
         or an amendment which will effect such compliance. During the period
         specified above, the Company will continue to prepare and file with the
         Commission on a timely basis all documents or amendments required under
         the Securities Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations of
         the Commission thereunder; provided, that the Company shall not file
         such documents or amendments without also furnishing copies thereof to
         the Representative and Troutman Sanders LLP. Any such documents or
         amendments which are electronically available through the Commission's
         EDGAR filing system shall be deemed to have been furnished by the
         Company to the Representative and Troutman Sanders LLP.

                  (d) The Company will advise the Representative promptly of any
         proposal to amend or supplement the Registration Statement or the
         Prospectus and will afford the Representative a reasonable opportunity
         to comment on any such proposed amendment or supplement prior to
         filing; and the Company will also advise the Representative promptly of
         the filing of any such amendment or supplement and of the institution
         by the Commission of any stop order proceedings in respect of the
         Registration Statement or of any part thereof and will use its best
         efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and to obtain as
         soon as possible its lifting, if issued.

                  (e) The Company will make generally available to its security
         holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, an earnings statement
         of the Company (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail,
         covering a period of at least 12 months beginning within three months
         after the effective date of the Registration Statement, which earnings
         statement shall satisfy the requirements of Section 11(a) of the
         Securities Act.

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                  (f) The Company will furnish such information as may be
         lawfully required and otherwise cooperate in qualifying the Series A
         Shares comprising the Units for offer and sale under the securities or
         blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representative may
         designate; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in
         any state to qualify as a foreign corporation, or to file a general
         consent to service of process, or to submit to any requirements which
         it deems unduly burdensome.

               (g) Fees and disbursements of Troutman Sanders LLP who is acting
         as counsel for the Underwriters (exclusive of fees and disbursements
         of such counsel which are to be paid as set forth in Section 6(b)),
         shall be paid by the Underwriters; provided, however, that if this
         Agreement is terminated in accordance with the provisions of Section 7
         or 8 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Representative for the
         account of the Underwriters for the amount of such fees and
         disbursements.

         7.  Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations; Termination by the
Underwriters.

                  (a) The  Underwriters'  obligations  to purchase  and pay for
         the Units on the Closing Date shall be subject to the following
         conditions:

                           (i) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
                  Registration Statement shall be in effect on the Closing Date
                  and no proceedings for that purpose shall be pending before,
                  or to the knowledge of the Company threatened by, the
                  Commission on such date. The Representative shall have
                  received, prior to payment for the Units, a certificate dated
                  the Closing Date and signed by the President or any Vice
                  President of the Company to the effect that no such stop order
                  is in effect and that no proceedings for such purpose are
                  pending before or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened
                  by the Commission.

                           (ii) The relevant order or orders of the State
                  Corporation Commission of Virginia authorizing the issuance
                  and sale of the Series A Shares comprising the Units shall be
                  in full force and effect.

                           (iii) On the Closing Date the Representative shall
                  receive, on behalf of the several Underwriters, the opinions
                  of Troutman Sanders LLP, counsel to the Underwriters,
                  McGuireWoods LLP, counsel to the Company, and the Company's
                  General Counsel, substantially in the forms attached hereto as
                  Schedules III, IV and V, respectively.

                           (iv) The Representative shall have received from
                  Deloitte & Touche LLP on the date of this Agreement and on the
                  Closing Date letters addressed to the Representative
                  containing statements and information of the type ordinarily
                  included in accountants' SAS 72 "comfort letters" to
                  underwriters with respect to the financial statements and
                  certain financial information contained in or incorporated by
                  reference into the Prospectus, including any pro forma
                  financial information.

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                           (v) Subsequent to the execution of this Agreement and
                  prior to the Closing Date, (A) except as stated in the
                  Registration Statement and the Prospectus (exclusive of
                  amendments or supplements after the date hereof), there shall
                  not have occurred (1) any change in the number of outstanding
                  shares of or terms of preferred stock or long term debt of the
                  Company (other than a decrease in the aggregate principal
                  amount thereof outstanding), (2) any material adverse change
                  in the general affairs, financial condition or earnings of the
                  Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or (3) any
                  material transaction entered into by the Company other than a
                  transaction in the ordinary course of business, the effect of
                  which in each such case in the reasonable judgment of the
                  Representative is so material and so adverse that it makes it
                  impracticable to proceed with the public offering or delivery
                  of the Units on the terms and in the manner contemplated in
                  the Prospectus and this Agreement, and (B) there shall not
                  have occurred (1) a downgrading in the rating accorded the
                  Company's senior unsecured notes, or securities that are pari
                  passu to the Company's senior unsecured notes, by any
                  "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as
                  that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule
                  436(g)(2) under the Securities Act) and no such organization
                  shall have given any notice of any intended or potential
                  downgrading or of any review for a possible change with
                  possible negative implications in its ratings of such
                  securities, (2) any general suspension of trading in
                  securities on the New York Stock Exchange or any limitation on
                  prices for such trading or any restrictions on the
                  distribution of securities established by the New York Stock
                  Exchange or by the Commission or by any federal or state
                  agency or by the decision of any court, (3) a suspension of
                  trading of any securities of the Company on the New York Stock
                  Exchange, (4) a banking moratorium declared either by federal
                  or New York State authorities or (5) any outbreak or
                  escalation of major hostilities in which the United States is
                  involved, any declaration of war by the United States Congress
                  or any other substantial national or international calamity or
                  crisis resulting in the declaration of a national emergency,
                  or if there has occurred any material adverse change in the
                  financial markets; provided the effect of such outbreak,
                  escalation, declaration, calamity, crisis or material adverse
                  change shall, in the reasonable judgment of the
                  Representative, make it impracticable to proceed with the
                  public offering or delivery of the Units on the terms and in
                  the manner contemplated in the Prospectus and in this
                  Agreement.

                           (vi) On the Closing Date, the representations and
                  warranties of the Company in this Agreement shall be true and
                  correct as if made on and as of such date, and the Company
                  shall have performed all obligations and satisfied all
                  conditions required of it under this Agreement; and, on the
                  Closing Date, the Representative shall have received a
                  certificate to such effect signed by the President or any Vice
                  President of the Company.

                           (vii) All legal proceedings to be taken in connection
                  with the issuance and sale of the Series A Shares comprising
                  the Units shall have been satisfactory in form and substance
                  to Troutman Sanders LLP.

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                  (b)  In case any of the conditions specified above in Section
         7(a) shall not have been fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by
         the Representative upon mailing or delivering written notice thereof to
         the Company; provided, however, that in case the conditions specified
         in subsections 7(a)(v) and (vi) shall not have been fulfilled, this
         Agreement may not be so terminated by the Representative unless
         Underwriters who have agreed to purchase in the aggregate 50% or more
         of the total number of the Units shall have consented to such
         termination and the aforesaid notice shall so state. Any such
         termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party
         except as otherwise provided in Section 9 and Sections 6(b), 6(g) and
         7(c) hereof.

                  (c)  If this Agreement shall be terminated by the
         Representative pursuant to Section 7(b) above or because of any
         failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms
         or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any
         reason the Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under
         this Agreement, then in any such case, the Company will reimburse the
         Underwriters, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (in addition
         to the fees and disbursements of their outside counsel as provided in
         Section 6(g)) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection
         with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder and, upon
         such reimbursement, the Company shall be absolved from any further
         liability hereunder, except as provided in Section 6(b) and Section 9.

         8.  Conditions of the Obligation of the Company. The obligation of the
Company to deliver the Series A Shares comprising the Units shall be subject to
the conditions set forth in the first sentence of Section 7(a)(i) and in Section
7(a)(ii). In case such conditions shall not have been fulfilled, this Agreement
may be terminated by the Company by mailing or delivering written notice thereof
to the Representative. Any such termination shall be without liability of any
party to any other party except as otherwise provided in Sections 6(b), 6(g), 9
and 10 hereof.

         9.  Indemnification and Contribution.

                  (a)  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
         Underwriter, each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of
         Rule 405 under the Securities Act and each person who controls any
         Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or
         Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act, against any and all
         losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they
         or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the
         Securities Exchange Act, or any other statute or common law and to
         reimburse each such Underwriter and controlling person for any legal or
         other expenses (including, to the extent hereinafter provided,
         reasonable outside counsel fees) incurred by them in connection with
         investigating or defending any such losses, claims, damages, or
         liabilities, or in connection with defending any actions, insofar as
         such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, expenses or actions arise
         out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
         statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or
         the Prospectus, or in either such document as amended or supplemented
         (if any amendments or supplements thereto shall have been furnished),
         or any preliminary Prospectus (if and when used prior to the date
         hereof), or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
         material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the

                                      -8-



         statements therein not misleading; provided that the foregoing
         indemnity agreement, insofar as it relates to any preliminary
         Prospectus, shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter (or to
         the benefit of any affiliate of, or person who controls such
         Underwriter) on account of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities
         arising out of the sale of any of the Units by such Underwriter to any
         person if it shall be established that a copy of the Prospectus,
         excluding any documents incorporated by reference (as supplemented or
         amended, if the Company shall have made any supplements or amendments
         which have been furnished to the Representative), shall not have been
         sent or given by or on behalf of such Underwriter to such person at or
         prior to the written confirmation of the sale to such person in any
         case where such delivery is required by the Securities Act and the
         Company satisfied its obligations pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, if
         the misstatement or omission leading to such loss, claim, damage or
         liability was corrected in the Prospectus (excluding any documents
         incorporated by reference) as amended or supplemented, and such
         correction would have cured the defect giving rise to such loss, claim,
         damage, or liability; and provided further, however, that the indemnity
         agreement contained in this Section 9(a) shall not apply to any such
         losses, claims, damages, liabilities, expenses or actions arising out
         of or based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement,
         or any such omission or alleged omission, if such statement or omission
         was made in reliance upon information furnished herein or otherwise in
         writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter for use in
         the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, in the Prospectus
         or any supplement thereto, or in any preliminary Prospectus. The
         indemnity agreement of the Company contained in this Section 9(a) and
         the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section
         3 hereof shall remain operative and in full force and effect,
         regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter
         or any such controlling person, and shall survive the delivery of the
         Units.

                  (b)  Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to
         indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers and directors,
         and each person who controls any of the foregoing within the meaning of
         Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Securities
         Exchange Act, against any and all losses, claims, damages or
         liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become
         subject under the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act, or any
         other statute or common law and to reimburse each of them for any legal
         or other expenses (including, to the extent hereinafter provided,
         reasonable outside counsel fees) incurred by them in connection with
         investigating or defending any such losses, claims, damages or
         liabilities or in connection with defending any actions, insofar as
         such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, expenses or actions arise
         out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
         statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or
         the Prospectus, or in either such document as amended or supplemented
         (if any amendments or supplements thereto shall have been furnished),
         or any preliminary Prospectus (if and when used prior to the date
         hereof), or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
         material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
         statements therein not misleading if such statement or omission was
         made in reliance upon information furnished herein or in writing to the
         Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter for use in the Registration
         Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to either
         thereof, or any preliminary Prospectus. The indemnity agreement of the
         respective Underwriters contained in this Section 9(b) shall remain
         operative and in full

                                      -9-



         force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or
         on behalf of the Company or any such controlling person, and shall
         survive the delivery of the Units.

                  (c)  The Company and each of the Underwriters agree that, upon
         the receipt of notice of the commencement of any action against the
         Company or any of its officers or directors, or any person controlling
         the Company, or against such Underwriter, its affiliates or controlling
         person as aforesaid, in respect of which indemnity may be sought on
         account of any indemnity agreement contained herein, it will promptly
         give written notice of the commencement thereof to the party or parties
         against whom indemnity shall be sought hereunder, but the omission so
         to notify such indemnifying party or parties of any such action shall
         not relieve such indemnifying party or parties from any liability which
         it or they may have to the indemnified party otherwise than on account
         of such indemnity agreement. In case such notice of any such action
         shall be so given, such indemnifying party shall be entitled to
         participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to
         assume (in conjunction with any other indemnifying parties) the defense
         of such action, in which event such defense shall be conducted by
         counsel chosen by such indemnifying party (or parties) and satisfactory
         to the indemnified party or parties who shall be defendant or
         defendants in such action, and such defendant or defendants shall bear
         the fees and expenses of any additional outside counsel retained by
         them; provided that, if the defendants (including impleaded parties) in
         any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying
         party (or parties) and the indemnified party shall have reasonably
         concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other
         indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those
         available to the indemnifying party (or parties), the indemnified party
         shall have the right to select separate counsel to assert such legal
         defenses and to participate otherwise in the defense of such action on
         behalf of such indemnified party. The indemnifying party shall bear the
         reasonable fees and expenses of outside counsel retained by the
         indemnified party if (i) the indemnified party shall have retained such
         counsel in connection with the assertion of legal defenses in
         accordance with the proviso to the preceding sentence (it being
         understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable
         for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to one
         local counsel), representing the indemnified parties under Section 9(a)
         or 9(b), as the case may be, who are parties to such action), (ii) the
         indemnifying party shall have elected not to assume the defense of such
         action, (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel
         satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified
         party within a reasonable time after notice of the commencement of the
         action, or (iv) the indemnifying party has authorized the employment of
         counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying
         party. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, an indemnifying party
         shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected
         without its written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably
         withheld), but if settled with such consent or if there be a final
         judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify
         the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason
         of such settlement or judgment. No indemnifying party shall, without
         the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any
         settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which
         indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified
         party is an actual or potential party to such a proceeding), unless
         such settlement (x) includes an

                                      -10-



         unconditional release of such indemnified party from all
         liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and
         (y) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault,
         culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

                  (d) If the indemnification provided for in Section 9(a) or
         9(b) is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified
         party in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
         actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying
         party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
         indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
         liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is
         appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Company, on the one
         hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other, in connection with the
         statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages
         or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other
         relevant equitable considerations, including relative benefit. The
         relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
         whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or
         the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to
         be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein
         not misleading relates to information supplied by the Company on the
         one hand or by the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative
         intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
         prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters
         agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant
         to this Section 9(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any
         other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable
         considerations referred to above in this Section 9(d). The amount paid
         or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims,
         damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to
         above in this Section 9(d) shall be deemed to include any legal or
         other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
         connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. No
         person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
         Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution
         from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
         misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations under this Section
         9(d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective
         underwriting obligations and not joint. The remedies provided for in
         this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or
         remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at
         law or in equity.

         10.  Termination. If any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or
refuse to purchase the Units which it or they have agreed to purchase hereunder,
and the aggregate total number of the Units which such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth
of total number of the Units, then the other Underwriters shall be obligated
severally in the proportions which the total number of the Units set forth
opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate
underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other
proportions as the Underwriters may specify, to purchase the Units which such
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase.
If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall so fail or refuse to purchase Units and
the total number of the Units with respect to which such default occurs is more
than one-tenth of the total number of the Units and arrangements satisfactory to
the Underwriters and the Company for the purchase of such Units are not made
within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement will terminate without

                                      -11-



liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter (except as provided in
Section 6(g) and Section 9) or of the Company (except as provided in Section
6(b) and Section 9). In any such case not involving a termination, either the
Representative or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date,
but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes,
if any, in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus or in any other
documents or arrangements may be effected. Any action taken under this Section
10 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any
default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

         11.  Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery.
All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or
contained in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto
shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person
of any Underwriter, or by or on behalf of the Company, and shall survive
delivery of the Units.

         12.  Miscellaneous. The validity and interpretation of this Agreement
shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York. This Agreement shall
inure to the benefit of the Company, the Underwriters and, with respect to the
provisions of Section 9 hereof, each controlling person and each officer and
director of the Company referred to in Section 9, and their respective
successors, assigns, executors and administrators. Nothing in this Agreement is
intended or shall be construed to give to any other person, firm or corporation
any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Agreement or any provision herein contained. The term "successors" as used in
this Agreement shall not include any purchaser, as such, of any of the Units
from any of the several Underwriters.

         13.  Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and if
to the Underwriters shall be mailed, telecopied or delivered to the
Representative at the address set forth on Schedule II hereto, or if to the
Company shall be mailed, telecopied or delivered to it, attention of Treasurer,
Virginia Electric and Power Company 120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia
23219 (facsimile number: (804) 819-2211).



            [The remainder of this page is left intentionally blank.]

                                      -12-



         Please sign and return to us a counterpart of this letter, whereupon
this letter will become a binding agreement between the Company and the several
Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

                              VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY



                              By:       G. Scott Hetzer
                                    ----------------------------------------
                              Name:    G. Scott Hetzer
                              Title:   Senior Vice President and Treasurer



                                      -13-



Agreed, this 5th day of December, 2002

Lehman Brothers Inc.

Acting on behalf of itself and for the
  several Underwriters named herein

LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.


By:  Greg J. Hall
    -------------------------------
        Authorized Signatory

Name:  Greg J. Hall
Title: Managing Director



                                      -14-



                                   SCHEDULE I

                                                          Total Number
                                                            of Units
Underwriter                                              to be Purchased
- -----------                                              ---------------
Lehman Brothers Inc.                                             1,061
BNP Paribas Securities Corp.                                        63
KBC Financial Products USA Inc.                                     63
SunTrust Capital Markets, Inc.                                      63
                                                            ----------
                               Total Units:                      1,250

                                      I-1



                                   SCHEDULE II

Total Number of Units Being Purchased:  1,250 Units  (each Unit consisting of
                                        1,000 Series A Shares)

Public Offering Price per Unit:  $100,000

Underwriting Commission per Unit:  $1,500

Total Proceeds to Company:  $123,125,000

Rate for Initial Dividend Period: 5.50%

Time of Delivery:  December 12, 2002, 10:00 A.M.

Closing Location:          One James Center
                           901 East Cary Street
                           Richmond, Virginia 23219

The specimen of the Series A Shares comprising the Units will be available for
your inspection at:

                           One James Center
                           901 East Cary Street
                           Richmond, Virginia 23219

Address for Notices:

Lehman Brothers Inc.
745 7th Avenue
New York, New York  10019
Attn: Christopher Winchenbaugh, Senior Vice President
Facsimile number:  646-758-5877


with a copy of any notice pursuant to Section 9(c) also sent to:


Troutman Sanders LLP
1111 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia  23219
Attn:  F. Claiborne Johnston, Jr., Esquire
Facsimile number:  (804) 697-1339




                                      II-1



                                  SCHEDULE III

                            PROPOSED FORM OF OPINION

                                       OF

                              TROUTMAN SANDERS LLP
                             Bank of America Center
                              1111 East Main Street
                            Richmond, Virginia 23219


                       VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

                            1,250 UNITS (THE "UNITS")
                      EACH UNIT CONSISTS OF 1,000 SHARES OF
         FLEXIBLE MONEY MARKET CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK (FLEX MMP(R))
  2002 SERIES A (LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE $100 PER SHARE) (THE "SERIES A SHARES")



                                December 12, 2002


Lehman Brothers Inc.
    for itself and as Representative for the Underwriters
    named in Schedule I, attached to the Underwriting Agreement

c/o Lehman Brothers Inc.
745 7th Avenue
New York, New York  10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:


         We have acted as your counsel in connection with the arrangements for
issuance by Virginia Electric and Power Company, a Virginia corporation (the
"Company"), of the above-referenced Series A Shares comprising the Units (the
"Units") of the Company pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement dated December 5,
2002 between the Company and the Underwriters listed on Schedule I attached
thereto (the "Underwriting Agreement"). This letter is being delivered to you
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement. All terms not otherwise defined herein
shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

                                     III-1



         We have examined originals, or copies certified to our satisfaction of
such corporate records of the Company, indentures, agreements and other
instruments, certificates of public officials, certificates of officers and
representatives of the Company, and other documents, as we have deemed necessary
as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. As to various questions of
fact material to such opinions, we have, when relevant facts were not
independently established, relied upon certifications by officers of the Company
and other appropriate persons and statements contained in the Registration
Statement hereinafter mentioned. All legal proceedings taken as of the date
hereof in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting
Agreement have been satisfactory to us.

         In addition, we attended the closing held today at the offices of
McGuireWoods LLP, One James Center, 901 E. Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia, at
which the Company satisfied the conditions contained in Section 7 of the
Underwriting Agreement that are required to be satisfied as of the Closing Date.

         Based upon the foregoing, and having regard to legal considerations
that we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that:

                  1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated and existing
         as a corporation in good standing under the laws of Virginia, and has
         the corporate power to transact its business as described in the
         Prospectus.

                  2. An appropriate order of the State Corporation Commission of
         Virginia with respect to the sale of the Series A Shares comprising the
         Units has been issued, and such order remains in effect at this date
         and constitutes valid and sufficient authorization for the sale of the
         Units as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement. No approval or
         consent by any public regulatory body other than those required under
         the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and the authorization
         by the State Corporation Commission of Virginia, all of which have been
         obtained, and reports to be filed with the State Corporation Commission
         of Virginia after issuance of the Series A Shares, is legally required
         in connection with the sale of the Units as contemplated by the
         Underwriting Agreement (except to the extent that compliance with the
         provisions of securities or blue sky laws of certain states may be
         required in connection with the sale of the Series A Shares comprising
         the Units in such states) and the carrying out of the provisions of the
         Underwriting Agreement.

                  3. The  Underwriting  Agreement has been duly  authorized by
         all necessary  corporate  action and has been duly executed and
         delivered by the Company.

                  4. The Series A Shares comprising the Units have been duly
         authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and
         the issuance of such Series A Shares comprising the Units is not
         subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

                  5. The  Registration  Statement with respect to the Series A
         Shares  comprising the Units filed pursuant to the Securities Act, has
         become effective and remains in effect

                                     III-2



         at this date, and the Prospectus may lawfully be used for the
         purposes specified in the Securities Act in connection with the offer
         for sale and the sale of the Series A Shares comprising the Units in
         the manner therein specified.

                  6. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except that
         we express no comment or belief with respect to any historical or pro
         forma financial statements and schedules and other financial or
         statistical information contained or incorporated by reference in the
         Registration Statement or Prospectus) appear on their face to be
         appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements
         of the Securities Act, and to the applicable rules and regulations of
         the Commission thereunder.

                  7. The statements relating to the preferred stock of the
         Company contained in the prospectus initially filed as part of the
         Registration Statement under DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK, as all or
         any of them have been supplemented by the statements relating to the
         Series A Shares comprising the Units under DESCRIPTION OF THE 2002
         SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK, are accurate and do not omit any material
         fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make such statements
         not misleading.

                                     * * * *

         We have not undertaken to determine independently the accuracy or
completeness of the statements contained or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement or in the Prospectus, and as to the statistical
statements in the Registration Statement (which includes statistical statements
in the Incorporated Documents), we have relied solely on the officers of the
Company. We accordingly assume no responsibility for the accuracy or
completeness of the statements made in the Registration Statement, other than
with regard to the statements relating to the Series A Shares comprising the
Units as described in paragraph (7). We note that the Incorporated Documents
were prepared and filed by the Company without our participation. We have,
however, participated in conferences with counsel for and representatives of the
Company in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus as it was initially issued and as it has been supplemented or
amended, and we have reviewed the Incorporated Documents and such of the
corporate records of the Company as we deemed advisable. In addition, we
participated in one or more due diligence conferences with representatives of
the Company and attended the closing at which the Company satisfied the
conditions contained in the Underwriting Agreement. None of the foregoing
disclosed to the lawyers in this firm who have given substantive legal attention
to representation of you in connection with the issuance and sale of the Series
A Shares comprising the Units any information that gives us reason to believe
that the Registration Statement contained on the date the Registration Statement
became effective, or the Prospectus contained on the date it was issued or the
date it was supplemented or amended, or that the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus contains on the date hereof (in all cases, excepting the financial
statements and schedules and other financial information contained or
incorporated therein by reference and any pro forma financial information and
notes thereto included or incorporated by reference therein, as to which we
express no belief) any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted on said
date or now to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements

                                     III-3



therein not misleading. The foregoing assurance is provided on the basis that
any statement contained in an Incorporated Document shall be deemed not to be
contained in the Registration Statement or Prospectus if the statement has been
modified or superseded by any statement in a subsequently filed Incorporated
Document or in the Registration Statement or Prospectus prior to the date of the
Underwriting Agreement.

         In rendering the opinions set forth in paragraphs (1) - (7) above and
in making the statements expressed in the preceding paragraph, we do not purport
to express an opinion or make any statement with respect to any laws other than
those of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of New York and the United
States of America. This letter may not be relied upon by, nor may copies be
delivered to, any person without our prior written consent.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            TROUTMAN SANDERS LLP








                                     III-4



                                   SCHEDULE IV

                            PROPOSED FORM OF OPINION

                                       OF

                                MCGUIREWOODS LLP
                                One James Center
                              901 East Cary Street
                            Richmond, Virginia 23219


                       VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

                            1,250 UNITS (THE "UNITS")
                      EACH UNIT CONSISTS OF 1,000 SHARES OF
         FLEXIBLE MONEY MARKET CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK (FLEX MMP(R))
  2002 SERIES A (LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE $100 PER SHARE) (THE "SERIES A SHARES")



                                December 12, 2002

Lehman Brothers Inc.
    for itself and as Representative for the Underwriters
    named in Schedule I, attached to the Underwriting Agreement

c/o Lehman Brothers Inc.
745 7th Avenue
New York, New York  10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel to Virginia Electric and Power Company, a
Virginia corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the issuance and sale
by the Company of the Series A Shares comprising the above-referenced Units (the
"Units") pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement dated December 5, 2002, between
the Company and the Underwriters listed on Schedule I attached thereto (the
"Underwriting Agreement"). This opinion is rendered pursuant to the provisions
of Section 7(a)(iii) of the Underwriting Agreement, and, except as set forth
herein, the terms used herein which are defined in the Underwriting Agreement
have the same meanings as they have in the Underwriting Agreement.

                                      IV-1



         We have examined originals, or copies certified to our satisfaction, of
such corporate records of the Company, indentures, agreements, and other
instruments, certificates of public officials, certificates of officers and
representatives of the Company, and other documents, as we have deemed it
necessary to require as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. As to
various questions of fact material to such opinions, we have, when relevant
facts were not independently established, relied upon certifications by officers
of the Company and other appropriate persons and statements contained in the
Registration Statement hereinafter mentioned. All legal proceedings taken as of
the date hereof in connection with the transactions contemplated by the
Underwriting Agreement have been satisfactory to us.

         On this basis we are of the opinion that:

                  1. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent,
         license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or
         governmental authority or agency, domestic or foreign (other than those
         required under the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and any
         authorization by the State Corporation Commission of Virginia, all of
         which have been obtained, reports to be filed with the State
         Corporation Commission of Virginia after issuance of the Series A
         Shares, or as may be required under the securities or blue sky laws of
         the various states) is necessary or required in connection with the due
         authorization, execution and delivery of the Underwriting Agreement by
         the Company or for the offering, issuance, sale or delivery of the
         Series A Shares comprising the Units.

                  2. The articles of amendment with respect to the Series A
         Shares have been duly authorized and executed by the Company and a
         certificate of amendment with respect to such articles of amendment has
         been issued by the State Corporation Commission of Virginia.

                  3. The Series A Shares comprising the Units have been duly
         authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and
         the issuance of such Series A Shares comprising the Units is not
         subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

                  4. The Registration Statement with respect to the Series A
         Shares comprising the Units filed pursuant to the Securities Act, has
         become effective and remains in effect at this date, and the Prospectus
         may lawfully be used for the purposes specified in the Securities Act
         in connection with the offer for sale and the sale of the Series A
         Shares comprising the Units in the manner therein specified.

                  5. The Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except the
         financial statements, pro forma financial information and schedules
         contained or incorporated by reference therein, as to which we express
         no opinion) appear on their face to be appropriately responsive in all
         material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act, and to the
         applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

                  6. We are of the opinion that the statements  relating to the
         preferred stock of the Company under  DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK,
         as all or any of them

                                      IV-2



         have been supplemented by the statements relating to the
         Series A Shares comprising the Units under DESCRIPTION OF THE 2002
         SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK, are substantially accurate and fair.

         We have participated in conferences with officers and other
representatives of the Company and your representatives at which the contents of
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus were discussed, and we have
consulted with officers and other employees of the Company to inform them of the
disclosure requirements of the Securities Act. We have examined various reports,
records, contracts and other documents of the Company and orders and instruments
of public officials, which our investigation led us to deem pertinent. In
addition, we attended the due diligence meetings with representatives of the
Company and the closing at which the Company satisfied the conditions contained
in Section 7 of the Underwriting Agreement. We have not, however, undertaken to
make any independent review of other records of the Company which our
investigation did not lead us to deem pertinent. As to the statistical
statements in the Registration Statement (which includes the Incorporated
Documents), we have relied solely on the officers of the Company. We accordingly
assume no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the statements made
in the Registration Statement, except as stated above in the preceding paragraph
in regard to the captions set forth in such preceding paragraph. But such
conferences, consultation, examination and attendance disclosed to us no
information with respect to such other matters that gives us reason to believe
that the Registration Statement contained on the date the Registration Statement
became effective, or the Prospectus contained on the date it was issued, or that
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (in each case, except with respect
to the financial statements and schedules and other financial information
contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus) contains on the date hereof, any untrue statement of a material fact
or omitted on such date or omits on the date hereof to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading. The foregoing assurance is provided on the basis that any statement
contained in an Incorporated Document shall be deemed not to be contained in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus if the statement has been modified or
superseded by any statement in a subsequently filed Incorporated Document or in
the Registration Statement or Prospectus prior to the date of the Underwriting
Agreement.

         We do not purport to express an opinion on any laws other than those of
the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States of America. This opinion may
not be relied upon by, nor may copies be delivered to, any person without our
prior written consent.

                                                     Yours very truly,

                                                     MCGUIREWOODS LLP





                                      IV-3



                                   SCHEDULE V

                            PROPOSED FORM OF OPINION

                                       OF

                               GENERAL COUNSEL OF
                       VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY
                               120 Tredegar Street
                            Richmond, Virginia 23219

                       VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

                            1,250 UNITS (THE "UNITS")
                      EACH UNIT CONSISTS OF 1,000 SHARES OF
         FLEXIBLE MONEY MARKET CUMULATIVE PREFERRED STOCK (FLEX MMP(R))
2002 SERIES A (LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE $100 PER SHARE) (THE "SERIES A SHARES")


                                December 12, 2002

To: The addressees listed on Annex A

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  The arrangements for issuance of the Series A Shares
comprising the above-referenced Units (the "Units"), of Virginia Electric and
Power Company (the "Company"), pursuant to a Agreement dated December 5, 2002,
by and between the Company and you (the "Underwriting Agreement"), have been
taken under my supervision as Vice President and General Counsel of the Company.
Terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings set forth in the
Underwriting Agreement.

                  As Vice President and General Counsel of the Company, I have
general responsibility over the attorneys within the Company's Legal Department
responsible for rendering legal counsel to the Company regarding corporate,
financial, securities, and other matters. I am generally familiar with the
organization, business and affairs of the Company. I am also familiar with the
proceedings taken and proposed to be taken by the Company in connection with the
offering and sale of the Units, and I have examined such corporate records,
certificates and other documents and such questions of the law as I have
considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. In
addition, I have responsibility for supervising lawyers who may have been asked
by me or others to review legal matters arising in connection

                                      V-1



with the offering and sale of the Units. Accordingly, some of the matters
referred to herein have not been handled personally by me, but I have been made
familiar with the facts and circumstances and the applicable law, and the
opinions herein expressed are my own or are opinions of others in which I
concur.

                  On this basis I am of the opinion that:

                  1. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly
         existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of Virginia,
         and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its
         properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus
         and to enter into and perform its obligations under the Underwriting
         Agreement; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation
         to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction
         in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the
         ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except
         where the failure to so qualify or to be in good standing would not
         result in a Material Adverse Effect.

                  2. The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized,
         executed and delivered by the Company.

                  3. There are no actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to
         the best of my knowledge, threatened, to which the Company or one of
         its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the Company's or any of
         its subsidiaries' properties is subject other than any proceedings
         described in the Prospectus and proceedings which I believe are not
         likely to have a material adverse effect on the power or ability of the
         Company to perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement or
         to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby or by the
         Prospectus.

                  I am a member of the Bar of the Commonwealth of Virginia and I
do not purport to express an opinion on any laws other than those of the
Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States of America. This opinion may not
be relied upon by, nor may copies be delivered to, any person without our prior
written consent. I do not undertake to advise you of any changes in the opinions
expressed herein resulting from matters that may hereinafter arise or that may
hereinafter be brought to my attention.

                                                     Yours very truly,


                                      V-2



                                     Annex A
                                     -------

Lehman Brothers Inc.
    for itself and as Representative for the Underwriters
    named in Schedule I, attached to the Underwriting Agreement

c/o Lehman Brothers Inc.
745 7th Avenue
New York, New York  10019




1106833v6




                                      V-3