Direct Energy and Stark County Offer Residents and Small Businesses Stable Natural Gas Price Program provides pricing stability during winter heating months

Canton, OH (10/12/2009) - With heating season just around the corner, residents and small businesses of Stark County have an opportunity to lock into a stable natural gas plan through the Stark County opt-out aggregation program.

The aggregation is a program where eligible customers are automatically served natural gas supply from Direct Energy unless they decline to participate. Under the program, customers within the Dominion East Ohio service territory will pay a price of $6.978 per mcf for the December 2009 through August 2010 bill cycles.

Customers who live within the Columbia Gas of Ohio service territory will pay a price of $0.7144 per ccf for the November 2009 through July 2010 bill cycles. Both prices exclude taxes and fees for services provided by the local utility.

“Stark County is winding down the first year of our agreement with Direct Energy,” said Stark County Clerk Jean Young. “We've been watching the wholesale natural gas market very closely and are pleased that we were able to lock-in such a low rate.”

“We know that customers value stability, especially during periods of economic instability,” said Mike Beck, Vice President for Direct Energy. “This product should ease customer concerns about volatile energy bills because the price they’ll pay for natural gas will not change for nine months, regardless of the activity on the wholesale market.”

The aggregation program is available only to residents and small businesses that live or operate within the unincorporated areas of the county. To be eligible residents must meet the following criteria:
• Be eligible to participate in the state’s natural gas choice program
• Have a residence or business located in the unincorporated areas of Stark County
• Receive their natural gas supply from the utility
• Not be under contract with another natural gas supplier (and thus must be receiving gas service from the utility)
• Be current on their natural gas bill

Customers currently participating in the aggregation don’t need to do anything to receive the new program price. Eligible residents not currently participating in the program and who are currently receiving natural gas from the utility should have already received letters from Direct Energy notifying them that they will automatically be included in the aggregation unless they decline the offer.

Those who are under contract with another supplier but are interested in participating in the program should first consider any cancellation fee their current supplier may charge before deciding to switch.

All inquiries about the program and how to enroll should be directed to Direct Energy’s Customer Service Department toll free at: 1-866-760-6040. Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.

About Direct Energy
Direct Energy, one of North America’s leading integrated energy companies, supplies natural gas to more than 250,000 customers in Ohio. The company has operated in Ohio since 2004, and has a regional office located in Dublin. Direct Energy also provides energy related services to residential and business customers through its U.S. Home Services business that is headquartered in Miami Township, Ohio. The company, a subsidiary of Centrica, also operates in Texas, the northeastern United States and across Canada. Direct Energy's commitment to helping others extends beyond Ohio. The company partners with other community-based organizations throughout North America to aid them in ending poverty and homelessness.

For additional information, contact:

Yvette Hamilton
Direct Energy
(713) 877-5818
yvette.hamilton@directenergy.com

Direct Energy® is a subsidiary of Centrica plc. All rights reserved. Centrica was created following the demerger of British Gas plc in 1997 and is now a leading supplier of energy and related services. To read more about Centrica plc please visit www.centrica.com.