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Contact: Marty Berkowitz
(614) 387-2962

Consumers’ Counsel advises Duke’s low-income natural gas customers of payment assistance opportunity

COLUMBUS, Ohio – March 9, 2009 – corrected copy – The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC), the residential consumer advocate, advises natural gas customers of Duke Energy Ohio to learn whether they are eligible to participate in Duke’s “Ohio Residential Low Income Pilot Program.”

This program provides assistance to low-income, low-usage natural gas customers by providing a monthly credit of $4 to up to 10,000 participants that meet the eligibility guidelines. Through March 6, 3,342 customers had registered to receive this credit to their monthly bills.

In order to be eligible for assistance, a customer must:

• Use 900 Ccf (hundred cubic feet) or less of natural gas annually; and

• Have an annual income at or below 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines ($37,500 for a family of four) and not be a participant in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP).

Customers meeting the above criteria can enroll by completing a self-verification form available on the Duke Energy Web site, www.duke-energy.com or at Duke's customer service office at 644 Linn St. in Cincinnati. They may also contact their local community action agency or People Working Cooperatively to obtain an application and get more information about the program.

The Ohio Residential Low Income Pilot Program was implemented Dec. 15 and will be evaluated by Duke, state regulators and the OCC at the end of 2009 to determine whether it will be modified or continued.

Duke delivers natural gas to approximately 425,000 customers in southwest Ohio.

About the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC), the residential utility consumer advocate, represents the interests of 4.5 million households in proceedings before state and federal regulators and in the courts. The state agency also educates consumers about electric, natural gas, telephone and water issues and resolves complaints from individuals. To receive utility information, brochures, schedule a presentation or file a utility complaint, residential consumers may call 1-877-PICKOCC (1-877-742-5622) toll free in Ohio or visit the OCC Web site at www.pickocc.org.