The NewPower Co. has been designated sole interim pooler for the Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) market by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) for a one-year term starting in July. The interim pool position is basically the supplier of last resort for the 1.3 million gas customers in the area. NewPower won the position over several other suppliers, including Scana and Georgia Natural Gas, after meeting certain criteria stated by the Public Service Commission.

Under the terms of the interim pooler agreement, should a natural gas marketer in the AGL territory be unable to meet its obligation to serve residential or small business customers, NewPower will become the interim supplier, or “pooler,” for those customers until another marketer is chosen by the customer. As interim pooler, NewPower will advise customers of their choice of marketers, including NewPower, that offer a rate competitive to that of the interim pool.

“In just one year, NewPower’s customer base in Georgia has grown to 110,000 customers,” said CEO H. Eugene Lockhart. “We have made significant investments in our infrastructure and customer care facilities in order to achieve our goal of being best in class.” NewPower entered the Georgia retail market last year by purchasing all the retail customers (300,000 in eight states) of Columbia Gas.

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