KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 31, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Rick Green, chairman and chief executive officer of Aquila, Inc. (NYSE:ILA), today pledged the company's full support of the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, an initiative unveiled in San Francisco during the summer meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC).
"There is no doubt that energy efficiency improvements can help customers reduce their bills. In addition it can delay the need for utilities to build or expand energy infrastructure like additional power plants, which create environmental challenges," Green said.
"This national initiative is an important step in aligning our efforts and I commend the NARUC leadership for laying the groundwork we can build from." Co-chairs of the National Action Plan are Diane Munns, commissioner of the Iowa Utilities Board and president of NARUC, and Jim Rogers, president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy.
The National Action Plan puts in place options utilities can use to encourage greater energy efficiency throughout the United States. The plan will be facilitated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in cooperation with public utility commissioners, energy consumers, and non-government groups.
Aquila has had an ongoing energy efficiency effort in the Midwestern states where it provides electricity and natural gas. For example, Aquila has partnered with Home Depot, the Heartland Utilities for Energy Efficiency and the Metropolitan Energy Center to provide weatherization resources and promote energy efficiency in Missouri. Those efforts will continue throughout 2006, and the company is expanding its work in four other states. In addition, Aquila employees work with local volunteer groups to help low income customers and the elderly weatherize their homes.
In Iowa, where the company provides natural gas, Aquila's energy efficiency programs have been providing value for almost 15 years. Since 1999, these programs have served over 53,000 households and 2,200 businesses and represent an investment in cost-effective energy efficiency improvements of nearly $14 million. They have generated enough natural gas savings to serve an additional 5,000 homes. In an effort to improve the environment, Aquila provides funding to the Trees Forever and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for tree planting and to the Iowa Energy Center & Global Center for environmental research. With nearly 230,000 trees planted through this program, it has been estimated that 13,000 tons of carbon dioxide has been eliminated from the environment.
Based in Kansas City, Mo., Aquila operates electricity and natural gas distribution utilities serving approximately one million customers in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. As of March 31, Aquila had total assets of $4.2 billion. More information is available at www.aquila.com.
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