Marking its initial promotion to capture some of the residentialgas market in Georgia, Southeastern States Energy, Inc. (SSE)announced a partnership with PowerTrust.com, an Internet-basedpower services company, to offer customers the ability to sign withSSE through the PowerTrust.com web site. Although the GeorgiaPublic Service Commission (GPSC) will decide market share for thestate’s suppliers on Aug. 11, Beth Perry Sewell, president of SSE,said there is still time to be successful in the Georgia market.

“Timing is everything,” said Sewell. “By my count, there areabout 400,000 customers who will be randomly assigned to a gassupplier once August 11 rolls around. Now, even if they arerandomly assigned, those customers have the ability to switch. Wethink that through our Internet accessibility and promotions, wecan reach those people. Our focus used to be on large industrialand commercial customers only. Now, with our new services andoffers, we think we can compete in the residential area.”

Sewell said SSE, a subsidiary of Perry Gas Companies,intentionally “sat back and let the dust settle,” while othermarketers battled for the state’s residential customers. SSE gainedmarketer certification last March. “I’m glad we did,” Sewell said.”Most of the suppliers are getting thumped. She noted that Scanaand Georgia Natural Gas Services have dominated most of the market(See Daily GPI, June 22).

Consumers who log on to PowerTrust.com for SSE’s gas service areoffered one- or two-year contracts with pricing at 38 cents/thermfor the one-year deal and 37.5 cents/therm for the two-year deal.

The site also features other products and services including alow interest VISA card, specially priced merchandise, long distancetelephone service and Internet access with free e-mail. ThroughAug. 11, PowerTrust.com is holding a promotion where each day’s newmembers are automatically entered in the $1,000-a-day giveaway.Eligibility to win $1,000 applies only on the day of sign-up. Alsoall PowerTrust.com members will be entered in a drawing to win fourtickets to Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta. Special incentives forswitching to PowerTrust.com will continue to be offered after Aug.11 to entice Georgia residents to change their natural gassupplier.

PowerTrust.com is a subsidiary of Digital Commerce Corporation(DCC), which is headquartered in Reston, VA. DCC is an electroniccommerce solutions provider for government and industry. Founded inJune 1995, Digital Commerce Corporation designs, engineers andoperates multiple virtual electronic marketplaces within secureenvironments through the Web.

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