For more information contact:
Becca Virden
Phone: 612-321-4879
Pager: 612-538-1234

MINNEAPOLIS – May 13, 2008 – CenterPoint Energy is reminding customers who have fallen behind on their natural gas bill to call the company to pay their bill in full or make a payment arrangement. Thousands of CenterPoint Energy customers who owe a combined $79 million in past-due natural gas bills are subject to having their natural gas service disconnected. 

Customers are informed of their account status through past-due and disconnect notices informing them of steps they need to take to avoid service disruption. “Customers who do not pay their gas bill and forgo contact with CenterPoint Energy are susceptible to additional charges,” said Robin Ferrary, credit director for CenterPoint Energy. “In addition to having their natural gas service disconnected, customers may also be required to pay an equivalent deposit of two months of their average monthly bill and a reconnection charge of up to $630.”  

Customers have many payment options including 24 hour access to on-line billing, automatic bank draft and convenient payment centers throughout the community. “For the safety of our employees, we are not collecting cash in the field.  We will accept a cashier’s check, money order or a valid receipt of a payment transaction from a local bill payment center,” said Dean Headlee, manager of field operations for CenterPoint Energy.

Low income customers have options based on income eligibility that are available all year such as the Gas Affordability Program (GAP).  GAP, funded by ratepayers and administered by the Energy Cents Coalition and CenterPoint Energy’s credit department, helps qualifying customers lower their monthly natural gas bills and pay past-due balances. As part of the program, customers can receive a monthly credit so that their monthly natural gas charges do not exceed six percent of their household income. To qualify for the program, customers must have received an Energy Assistance grant for the 2007-08 heating season.

Call CenterPoint Energy now at 1-612-372-4680 or 1-800-729-6164 to make a payment in full or make a payment arrangement, or visit the company’s Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com, select the Minnesota region and then click on the Payment Assistance link.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines and field services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Assets total over $17 billion. With about 8,600 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 130 years. In Minnesota, CenterPoint Energy is the state’s largest natural gas distribution utility, serving nearly 790,000 customers in 259 communities. The utility also operates a non-regulated business in Minnesota called Home Service Plus®. For more information, visit the Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com.