Technology Would Provide Benefits to Customers and Improve the Environment ROCHESTER, N.Y., Feb. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NYSEG and RG&E today filed a plan with the Public Service Commission describing the customer and environmental benefits of a Smart Grid Initiative beginning with "smart" meters that would be installed starting in 2008. The control and data collection capabilities of smart meters as part of a smart grid will enable NYSEG and RG&E customers to access a broader range of time-differentiated rates. In addition, the two-way communications that is inherent in the technology will enhance the companies' response to service interruptions. Further, the technology will provide interval usage and demand data, improve notification of tampering and enhance transmission/distribution design efficiency. "Because smart meters enable customers to better control energy use, we can reduce the demand for electricity, especially at peak times, and provide our customers with a new tool to help conserve energy. The result will be postponing the need for new power plants and avoiding the environmental impacts that go along with them," said Jim Laurito, president and CEO of NYSEG and RG&E. Significant and direct environmental and societal benefits will occur from postponing the need for new power plants as a result of peak-shaving -- reducing use during periods of high demand and price -- and energy conservation made possible through the use of advanced meters. Every 100 megawatts (mw) of reduced peak-hour consumption will ultimately save New York ratepayers approximately $5 million per year. In addition, every 100 mw of reduced generation would lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 500,000 tons, a reduction equivalent to planting 21 million trees or taking 82,000 cars off the road. "NYSEG and RG&E are committed to the implementation of smart meters as a technological solution to reducing the demand for electricity, avoiding future generation needs and improving the environment," Laurito said. About advanced metering: Advanced metering is a highly functional system of solid state meters and meter modules deployed via a sophisticated two-way communications network that uses technologies such as broadband over power line (BPL) and/or power line carrier (PLC) to provide real-time interval usage and demand data, on-demand meter reads, remote programming, and notification of outages and tampering. About NYSEG and RG&E: NYSEG and RG&E are subsidiaries of Energy East Corporation [NYSE: EAS], a super-regional energy services and delivery company in the Northeast. NYSEG serves 860,000 electricity customers and 254,000 natural gas customers across more than 40% of upstate New York. RG&E serves 359,000 electricity customers and 296,000 natural gas customers in a nine-county region centered on the City of Rochester. By providing outstanding customer service and meeting customers' energy requirements in an environmentally-responsible manner, NYSEG and RG&E will continue to be valuable assets to the communities they serve. For more information, visit nyseg.com and rge.com. DATASOURCE: NYSEG; RG&E CONTACT: Clay Ellis of NYSEG, +1-607-762-7336; or Dick Marion of RG&E, +1-585-771-2230 Web site: http://www.nyseg.com/ http://rge.com/

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