(LOUISVILLE, Ky. -(November 30, 2004) Louisville Gas and Electric Company (LG&E) customers can now make the holiday season a little warmer for a loved one with Holiday Utility Gift (HUG) certificates on sale now from LG&E.

A HUG is a gift certificate that credits the utility account of any LG&E customer. Instead of working like a traditional gift certificate, which can be lost, stolen, or accidentally thrown away, a HUG is a credit placed directly on a customer's LG&E account. The credit is subtracted from the customer's next LG&E bill. After a customer purchases a HUG, they receive a gift certificate to present to the recipient indicating the amount of the purchase, which will be credited to the customer's account. The program was piloted to Louisville LG&E customers in 2002, and last year the company extended HUGs to include KU, and ODP service territories, both subsidiaries of LG&E Energy.

"These non-traditional gift certificates have been very popular with customers during the holiday season, that's why we've decided to make this a new holiday tradition," said Dave Vogel, LG&E Energy's Vice President of Retail Services. "HUGs have made paying the utility bill easier for many customers, especially for nonprofit organizations and those on a fixed income."

To purchase a HUG, LG&E customers can visit the company's walk-in customer service center at 820 W. Broadway weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. In order to credit the proper LG&E account, customers should be prepared to provide the address of the HUG recipient. HUGs start at $25 and can be purchased by cash or check. The HUG program ends Thursday, December 30.



LG&E is a wholly owned subsidiary of LG&E Energy LLC that serves 312,000 natural gas and 384,000 electric customers in Louisville, Ky., and 16 surrounding counties.