EASTLAKE, Ohio and DUBLIN, Ohio - For the first time ever, small business owners in communities in NOPEC territory soon will be eligible to be included in NOPEC's money-saving electricity program and to purchase less-polluting electricity from Green Mountain Energy Company.

Beginning in September 2002, approximately 60,000 small commercial customers in NOPEC's nearly 100 member communities will be able to receive electricity from Green Mountain Energy Company, NOPEC's chosen electricity provider.

Because of NOPEC's aggregated buying power, Green Mountain Energy(SM) electricity would be purchased at a guaranteed savings of three percent off the utility standard rate on the generation portion of the bill. The savings would rise to 3.5 percent after two years. In addition, the businesses would be buying electricity that is 68 percent less-polluting than what most Ohioans currently are buying.

If half of the eligible businesses choose Green Mountain Energy(SM) electricity, they will prevent more than 31 thousand tons of carbon dioxide -- a greenhouse gas that causes global warming -- from entering the air each year. That is equivalent to not driving a car almost 70 million miles or not making the roundtrip from Cleveland to Columbus 240,000 times.

Previously, only residential customers were eligible for the NOPEC/Green Mountain Energy Company program. Several hundred thousand residential customers are enrolled in that program, which began last year.

"We are delighted to at last be able to include the commercial customers in our communities," said Eastlake Mayor Dan DiLiberto, chairman of NOPEC. "Small businesses are the backbone of our local economies, so it was important to us to get together with Green Mountain Energy Company and come up with a plan to serve them."

Ohio Edison customers in rate class 21 (small general service) and CEI customers in rate class 105 (general service) are eligible for the Green Mountain Energy(SM) electricity choice. They will be given the opportunity to "opt out" of the program if they do not wish to participate. The procedure will be similar to that used with residential customers last year.

"Consumer choice is the main focus of Ohio's utility law," said Paul Markovich, Green Mountain Energy Company's Midwest region president. "NOPEC has made it possible for small businesses to choose their individual electricity supplier."

Under an Ohio utility law which went into effect last year, communities may band together to form a public buying group such as NOPEC, which then negotiates with electricity providers for the best rates. Eligible customers then are mailed details of the offer. Customers may decline participation by returning an "opt-out" card before the date posted on the mailer. Those who
wish to participate do not have to take any action to be automatically included. DiLiberto said the opt-out material for the commercial customers is being prepared.

About Green Mountain Energy Company

Green Mountain Energy(SM) electricity is the leading brand of cleaner electricity in the states where Green Mountain Energy Company (http://www.greenmountain.com ) does business. The company provides less-polluting electricity generated from sources including wind, solar, water, geothermal, biomass, and cleaner-burning natural gas. Nearly half a million customers in
seven states: California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas have chosen Green Mountain Energy(SM) electricity. The Austin, Texas-based company was founded in 1997 with a mission to "change the way power is made."

About NOPEC

NOPEC (http://www.nopecinfo.org ) offers Northeast Ohio competitive pricing for the nation's leading household services. NOPEC, using the advantages of bulk bargaining power and consumer advocacy acts on behalf of Ohio residents to obtain the best products at the best prices; NOPEC is the nation's largest public energy aggregation and consists of 100 communities in nine counties, representing 450,000 energy customers. NOPEC was formed in November 2000 under Ohio's utility deregulation laws. NOPEC receives no taxpayer funding and its officers and directors serve without compensation. NOPEC's mission is to create customer bargaining power.

Green Mountain Energy Company

Green Mountain Energy Company

Founded in 1997 to change the way power is made, Green Mountain Energy Company (www.greenmountain.com) offers residential, business, institutional and governmental customers the choice to support cleaner electricity generated from sources such as wind, solar, water, geothermal, biomass and natural gas. Due to Green Mountain Energy Company's efforts, almost 600,000 customers nationwide are purchasing electricity that is significantly less polluting than typical system power. The company is based in Austin, Texas.

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