National Grid Extends Winter Utility Moratorium for Protected Customers in Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, RI (04/12/2012)(readMedia)-- National Grid today announced it will extend the winter utility moratorium on service interruptions for "protected" customers through May 1, 2012.

The announcement follows support for the measure expressed by RI House Speaker Gordon D. Fox and Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed last week. Today, the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission approved the moratorium extension.

State regulations prohibit electric and natural gas companies from suspending service for non-payment from November 15 through April 15, but with the extension now in place through May 1, protected customers will have an extra two weeks of relief.

The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission defines protected customers as a residential customer who can provide evidence to the public utility that they are: currently receiving unemployment benefits verified by the Department of Labor and Training; elderly or handicapped; recipients of Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP); seriously ill; residents living in a residence where there is child under the age of two years and there is a financial hardship.

"We share the concerns of the State and understand the various challenges that our customers face as a result of economic and other life hardships," said Tim Horan, president, National Grid in Rhode Island. "Extending the winter moratorium gives our customers extra time to find resources that could help address their utility bills."

Customers who need assistance paying their bills should call 1-800-443-1837 to speak with a National Grid representative about available payment plans. Customers can also enroll in National Grid's "Balanced Billing" plan which spreads their total annual utility costs into 12 monthly payments, making it easier on monthly household budgets. To enroll, visit www.nationagridus.com and click on the "My Account" link.

National Grid

National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the center of the energy system and it 'joins everything up'.

In the northeast US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles. In Great Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.

National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island. It manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation, providing power to over one million LIPA customers. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

For more information please visit our website http://www.nationalgridus.com.

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