Duke Energy and Arbor Day Foundation Seek to Increase Participation in Paperless Billing

CHARLOTTE, N.C. April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and the Arbor Day Foundation are encouraging Duke Energy customers to go paperless by receiving their monthly energy bills electronically instead of by mail.

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If participation in the company's paperless billing program increases by 100,000 customers in 2010, Duke Energy will donate $100,000 to the Arbor Day Foundation to thank customers for making the switch.  

The funds will be used to plant trees in state forests and other agreed-upon locations in each of the five states served by Duke Energy, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

"Duke Energy is committed to serving its customers in sustainable ways," said Gianna Manes, Duke Energy senior vice president of retail customer products and services. "By partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation, we hope to encourage more of our customers to reduce their environmental impact and sign up for the convenience of paperless billing."

Not only does paperless billing improve the environment, it provides one central place for managing, paying and organizing the monthly energy bill.

Also, according to the U.S. Postal Service, many of the nearly 10 million identity thefts reported last year were the direct result of stolen mail. Paperless statements reduce the possibility of such thefts.

The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit, environmental and education organization  with more than one million members. Its mission is to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the foundation and its programs can be found at www.arborday.org.

Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the United States. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 4 million customers located in five states in the Southeast and Midwest, representing a population of approximately 11 million people. Its commercial power and international business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internet at: www.duke-energy.com.  To learn more and contribute to the discussion about the energy issues of today and the possibilities of tomorrow see www.sheddingalight.org.

SOURCE Duke Energy