Georgia Natural Gas to donate $1 million for weatherizing homes of low-income seniors…Additional $100,000 will fund energy education program

ATLANTA,/PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Natural Gas (GNG), Georgia's leading natural gas provider, announces a plan to donate $1.1 million for a major initiative to help Atlanta-area low-income senior citizens weatherize their homes and to educate consumers statewide about energy conservation.

Four Atlanta-area nonprofit organizations and community action agencies will be given donations totaling $1 million to provide weatherization services for their clients. The following organizations, which already have weatherization programs in place, will receive the funds during 2006:

   - Southeast Energy Assistance, Inc.                         $ 300,000
Provides direct assistance to improve the living and housing conditions of low-income families through conservation programs; has served metropolitan Atlanta's low-income community since 1978. www.southeastenergy.org

 - Partnership for Community Action, Inc.                    $ 300,000
Founded in 1966 to work for social change through community-based partnerships and advocacy programs that lead to family self-sufficiency in DeKalb, Rockdale and Gwinnett counties.
www.pcaction.org  

- Clayton County Community Services Authority, Inc.         $ 200,000
Provides weatherization services to seniors, low-income families and individuals with disabilities in Clayton, Henry and Fayette counties; provides essential services that improve the quality of life and leadto self-sufficiency and responsible community involvement. www.claytoncountycsa.org

- Resource Service Ministries, Inc.                         $ 200,000
Was founded in 1984 to meet the needs of Georgia widows for home repairs and weatherization; has weatherized more than 900 homes, helping low-income metro Atlanta homeowners save 30-35 percent in energy costs.
www.rsmin.org

"These organizations face enormous financial challenges to meet the needs of low-income senior citizens," said GNG President Michael Braswell. "We are pleased to partner with them this year to weatherize more than 350 homes of senior citizens. GNG continues to be committed to helping seniors not only through philanthropy but also through our special discounted price plan for low-income senior citizens."

In addition to its weatherization initiative, GNG will donate $100,000 to the Heating Energy Assistance Team (H.E.A.T.), the state's oldest energy assistance fund. Since 1983 H.E.A.T. has distributed more than $15.5 million to nearly 78,000 Georgia households. The GNG donation specifically will fund statewide energy conservation education through print and broadcast materials produced by H.E.A.T. (www.heatga.org)

"We have partnered with H.E.A.T. for more than five years, providing them $1.8 million in direct financial support and encouraging our customers to donate, as well," said Braswell. "H.E.A.T. will do an excellent job of ensuring that consumers throughout the state understand the importance of energy conservation -- and the low-cost and no-cost steps they can take to save on energy costs."

Georgia Natural Gas is a national leader in corporate community service programs. In the three years since GNG implemented its community service program, the company and its employees have made a tremendous difference in the lives of children and senior citizens through volunteerism and corporate contributions.

"GNG is very proud of its role in the Georgia community," said Braswell. "Our customers have made us the state's leading natural gas company, and we believe that our leadership should extend to every facet of Georgia life."

About Georgia Natural Gas

Georgia Natural Gas is the state's leading natural gas provider, serving more than a half-million customers throughout Georgia. GNG is part of SouthStar Energy Services, a Georgia-based joint venture between AGL Resources and Piedmont Natural Gas. SouthStar operates in other parts of the Southeast as SouthStar Energy Services and Piedmont Energy Company. For more information: www.onlygng.com .