Reliant Energy Minnegasco today announced a commitment of up to $100,000 to match customer contributions to The Salvation Army HeatShare Program. If fully matched by customers, a total of $200,000 will be available this heating season to help qualifying individuals and families most directly affected by high natural gas bills. The matching contributions will begin February 1 and run throughout the month.

"We are making this commitment because higher natural gas prices and colder than normal weather are contributing to higher energy bills – we are concerned about how these prices will affect our customers, especially those living on lower or fixed-incomes," said Gary Cerny, president and COO of Minnegasco. "HeatShare, through generous customer and corporate donations, has helped many families over the years. With this latest commitment, we hope to reach even more qualifying families trying to cope with the burden of energy bills," added Cerny.

With this new commitment to HeatShare, Minnegasco will donate an additional $1 for every $1 it receives from customers in the month of February, up to $100,000. These tax-deductible donations can be made by completing Minnegasco's HeatShare enrollment form in customer's February bills, enrolling online or by calling the company at (612) 321-4727 or 1-800-245-2377 for Greater Minnesota.

HeatShare is a voluntary, private, emergency energy assistance program administered by The Salvation Army. The program is sponsored by Minnesota utilities and funded voluntarily by utility customers through monthly contributions or one-time pledges. Contributions made in a particular community or city help fund households in that area. The program provides a number of services, including:

Assistance of low-income elderly, disabled and others with special needs who have difficulty paying their energy related expenses.

Gaining financial support within a county to assure a regular cash flow for energy costs.

Obtaining support from a network of services to ensure that those who need help receive it.

Administering an effective program that benefits the community and makes it a better place to live.

Providing education and resources to help reduce future heating costs and to make homes safer places to live.

Providing free furnace repairs from retired Minnegasco employees for HeatShare participants.

The Salvation Army and Minnegasco developed HeatShare in 1982. Since then, customers of utilities have raised millions of dollars for the program. In 2000 alone, approximately $1 million was raised to assist around 5,000 Minnesotans in need. HeatShare is administered in nearly every county and about 700 cities statewide.

"A donation of this magnitude allows us to help more families," said Mike McGlone, HeatShare director for The Salvation Army. "Minnegasco is a longstanding friend of the program and is always receptive to our requests for assistance."

Headquartered in Minneapolis, Reliant Energy Minnegasco is Minnesota's largest natural gas distribution company, serving more than 690,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 240 communities. The company is a division of Houston-based Reliant Energy, an international energy services and energy delivery company with $20 billion in annual revenue and assets totaling more than $28 billion.

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