December 13, 2006 News Media Release

Austin Energy and Texas Gas Service
Combine Rebates

Customers of both Austin Energy and Texas Gas Service can now receive rebates from both utilities on two key energy efficiency improvements: adding attic insulation if needed and sealing leaking ducts.

The two companies announced the joint initiative today. It provides an incentive to customers interested in improving the energy efficiency of their homes. The average 15-year-old home in Austin wastes an estimated 30 percent of the gas and electricity it uses due to leaks, insufficient insulation and out-dated energy-guzzling heating and cooling equipment.

Combined rebates from both companies will pay up to 45 percent of the cost of additional attic insulation and up to 55 percent of the cost to repair leaking ducts. Customers will not be required to fill out duplicate paperwork to receive rebates from both utilities.

We make it easy. More than 60 local heating and air conditioning and specialty companies participate in the Austin Energy Home Performance with the ENERGY STAR Program. Call one of the companies and ask for an energy assessment of your home. Austin Energy staff will inspect all energy efficiency improvements you make, will ensure you receive your Austin Energy rebates and will automatically submit paperwork so you also receive Texas Gas Service rebates on insulation and duct repair.

Weatherize your home. Meanwhile, you can also receive a $75 rebate from Texas Gas Service on a new gas furnace and rebates of up to $540 in Austin Energy rebates on a new AC system. Additionally, Austin Energy provides rebates on other home energy efficiency improvements or no interest loans of up to $8,500. So give yourself some extra cash throughout 2007 and for years to come by zapping energy waste. Visit www.austinenergy.com and www.texasgasservice.com ,or pick up the telephone and take advantage of this opportunity.

Free Energy Efficiency Improvements
Austin Energy and Texas Gas Service are also combining their resources to provide free energy efficiency improvements to low--income customers. This partnership will increase the number of families that can be served each year from about 650 to up to 750.

To apply, call Austin Energy at 512-482-5346 and indicate you want to apply for the Free Weatherization program. Austin Energy staff will have a contracted company visit the home and schedule the energy efficiency improvements. Those improvements will include, if needed, additional insulation, duct repair, solar screens on windows hit by direct sunlight, caulking around windows and plumbing penetrations under sinks, weather stripping around doors, plus the installation of a fire alarm and carbon dioxide detector.

In addition, if the home requires repairs to make the energy efficiency improvements effective, those repairs will also be made at no charge.

Below are the income guidelines for the Free Weatherization program:

Emergency Financial Assistance
Both Austin Energy and Texas Gas Service provide utility bill financial assistance to customers facing extraordinary emergencies. Funding for this assistance is provided by both utilities, as well as by the customers of both utilities. Customers can include donations each month with their utility bill payment. Customers of the two utilities contribute about $6,000 per month, amounting to $72,000 in customer contributions annually. This amount is combined with $225,000 from Austin Energy and Texas Gas Service for a total of about $300,000 a year available to assist Austinites with needs.

As fuel costs have risen in recent years, the number of requests for utility bill assistance has increased. Financial assistance through the utility assistance program currently provides for about 1,000 families a year.

Top 10 tips for managing energy use during cold weather

• Have your gas furnace cleaned and serviced for greater efficiency. Better efficiency can reduce your heating bill by as much as 1-2% a year.
• Set your thermostat at 68 degrees when at home or sleeping. Each degree higher will use about 3% more energy.
• Set your thermostat at 58 degrees when you expect to be away from home for four or more hours. This can help reduce heating bills by as much as 10%.
• Your attic should have 10-12 inches of insulation.
• Have duct leaks repaired. The average older home is leaking 25-30% of heating and cooling into the attic and crawl spaces.
• Set water heater temperatures to 120 degrees. Water heating accounts for about 14% of utility bills.
• Keep blinds and curtains open during the day to allow sunlight into your home.
• Installing a high-efficiency gas furnace can save $70-120 annually when replacing a 15-year old furnace or
• Install an ENERGY STAR electric heat pump that can reduce winter heating costs by as much as 40% over electric strip heating.
• A programmable thermostat can automatically adjust the temperature while you are sleeping or away from home, for savings of up to 20% on your energy bill.

Top 10 tips for managing water during freezing weather

Before freezing weather

• Wrap all exposed pipes located outside or in unheated areas of your home with rags, paper or using Styrofoam cover.
• Remove garden hoses from outside faucets and wrap outside faucets.
• Make sure your water cut-off valve outside your home is accessible and operational. Clean debris from around the valve and wrap to protect it from freezing. If you cannot locate your cut-off valve, call 972-1000.

When freezing weather arrives

• Drip outside faucets (about five drops per minute; faster if a hard freeze is expected).
• Open cabinet doors under sinks adjacent to outside walls to warm your plumbing.
• In unheated garages, shut water off to washing machines, then disconnect both the hot and cold water lines, place both in the drain pipe behind the washer and turn the water back on to a drip.
• Use extra wrap on pipes that have frozen in the past.
• Businesses and homes with landscape sprinkler systems should turn them off.

If you will be out of town during freezing weather

• Cut off water at your outside cut-off valve.
• Leave your home heating system on at a low setting.

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For more information, contact the following:
Austin Energy, Ed Clark, Pager: (512) 802-2000
Texas Gas Service, Teri Green, (512) 465-1109
Austin Water, Laurie Lentz, (512) 972-0151
Travis County Family Support Services, Andrea Bussey, (512) 854-4102