DPUC Scorecard: Customer Service Ratings Improve for CNG, Best in Gas Sector

Hartford, CT, April 12, 2002 - Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG) customers registered 22% fewer complaints during the calendar year 2001 than the previous year, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control's (DPUC) ninth annual consumer service scorecard.

The scorecard compares the number of customer complaints received by the DPUC's Consumer Assistance and Information Unit each year for the state's 46 utility companies.

In the natural gas sector, CNG's score of 62.45 complaints per hundred thousand customers was the lowest of any of the state natural gas utilities and also was 22% lower than last year's score of 79.51. The total number of complaints for CNG also dropped from 121 in 2000 to 96 in Year 2001, a reduction of 21%.

"Our scores reflect how diligently our employees have been working to provide customers with superior customer service," said William Reis, Vice-President Business Development. "We are committed to a continuous process of creating better ways to serve our customers."

Editors Note: Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation is a subsidiary of Energy East Corporation (NYSE: EAS). CNG provides natural gas service to approximately 155,000 customers in 21 municipalities in the greater Hartford and New Britain areas and Greenwich. Energy East is a super-regional energy services and delivery company in the Northeast. Energy East is a leader in promoting competition and is committed to profitably growing its energy infrastructure. Energy East serves 2 million customers (1.4 million electricity and 600,000 natural gas) in upstate New York and New England

Contact:
Robert Brennan
Director, Public Affairs
Connecticut Natural Gas/Southern Conn. Gas
(203) 795-7739
rbrennan@soconngas.com