Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania’s supplier-choice program savedparticipating customers in Washington and Allegheny counties about$1.8 million during the 1997-98 winter heating season, the companysaid. Paula Frauen, manager of energy services, said the 37,000residential and small commercial customers enrolled in the programeach saved about $9 a month, 8.6% less than what they would havepaid had they bought gas from Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania.

The savings estimate excludes results for 144 small-commercialcustomers who bought gas from mc2 Inc. and Enron Capital and Tradeand were billed separately by those companies.

Nine suppliers participated. All 137,000 customers in Washingtonand Allegheny counties-about one-third of the company’s 382,000customers in the state – could choose a supplier. Service toprogram participants began in November. A new sign-up period beginsthis summer. Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania plans to continue itschoice program in Washington and Allegheny counties and may expandthe program to additional customers this summer, Frauen said.

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