WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Nov. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- PG Energy PowerPlus entered
Pennsylvania's deregulated electricity market today with a rate lower than any
available to residential customers in the vast area served by PP&L, Met-Ed,
UGI and Penelec.
Thomas F. Karam, President and CEO of Pennsylvania Enterprises Inc. (PEI)
(NYSE: PNT), parent company of PowerPlus, said PP&L residential customers
could save up to 8 percent over their current rate; Penelec customers,
7 percent; Met-Ed customers, 6.5 percent; and UGI customers, 3 percent. These
percentages include utility rate reductions and the additional savings offered
by PG Energy PowerPlus.
Savings to commercial and industrial customers could exceed the
residential percentages, Mr. Karam said.
"Customers who want to start taking advantage of these savings in January
need to register as soon as possible with PowerPlus," Mr. Karam said. "The
cutoff for January enrollment is November 30. Customers who register by
November 30 will begin saving money after their January meter reading."
Mr. Karam said customers may register for PowerPlus's money-saving rates
by calling the Company, toll-free, at 1-888-699-PLUS (7587). Operators will
be on duty weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. When they call, customers will be asked for their name,
address, telephone number, the name of the utility company that delivers their
electricity, their electric utility account number and the fuel used to heat
their home.
Customers also may enroll with PowerPlus through its website at
http://www.pgenergypowerplus.com.
"Before today, those enrolled in the state's Electric Choice Program in
the PP&L and UGI service areas were not offered rates competitive with their
utilities," Mr. Karam said. "PowerPlus's ability to offer these very
competitive rates and savings to customers clearly demonstrates the benefits
of customer choice as envisioned by the Public Utility Commission."
Mr. Karam said PowerPlus will benefit on PG Energy's experience in the
local utility market and will build on its reputation of dependable energy and
services at competitive prices.
"PowerPlus and the entire family of PEI companies have long stood for
reliable and low-cost energy supply and products," Mr. Karam said. "The
ability to provide the most savings and being a locally based company is a
combination we expect will strike a chord with consumers."
A customer's choice of an electricity supplier other than their present
utility company will have no effect on the delivery of power. The customer's
utility company will continue to deliver electricity and maintain the system
through which the customer receives power. The customer will continue to pay
that company for its delivery services.
There are no fees associated with selecting PG Energy PowerPlus.
"Consumers should not hesitate to shop for savings," Mr. Karam said.
"Your local electric utility will continue to deliver power as reliably as
always. Now you can seek a power supplier of your choice."
Mr. Karam said lower power bills will not be the only benefit of enrolling
with PowerPlus.
"As an added benefit of enrolling with PowerPlus, we will offer our
residential electricity customers the discounted PEI stock purchase plan
already enjoyed by PG Energy and Honesdale Gas Company customers," Mr. Karam
said. "The program allows customers to purchase shares of PEI stock at a
5 percent discount and there are no broker fees involved." Additional
information about the program is available by contacting the Company's
Customer Stock Purchase Plan, toll-free, at 1-888-700-7862.
PG Energy PowerPlus is an affiliate of PG Energy, a natural gas
distribution company with more than 140 years of utility experience. PG
Energy PowerPlus participated in Pennsylvania's Electric Choice Pilot Program
in 1997 and has been providing low-cost electricity to thousands of customers.
PG Energy PowerPlus markets energy, energy-related products and services for
PG Energy Services Inc., a wholly owned, non-regulated PEI subsidiary.
PG Energy PowerPlus also markets home and business security systems, fire
detection and environmental hazard monitoring systems and Custom Care, a
service maintenance contract for gas-fired heating equipment and appliances.
PEI news releases are available 24 hours a day at the Company website at
http://www.pnt.com. To receive a faxed copy of PEI news releases, call
1-800-758-5804 on a touch-tone phone and use PEI's ID # 684209. Follow the
prompted instructions to receive a copy of our most recent news release or a
menu of previous news releases. Company news will be faxed to you immediately
without charge.
SOURCE Pennsylvania Enterprises, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.pgenergypowerplus.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/684209.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 684209
CONTACT:
John J. Hambrose of Pennsylvania Enterprises,
717-829-8756
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