posted April 27, 2008 09:55 AM            

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A total of 196 State-operated facilities -- from the State House in
Trenton to Barnegat Lighthouse at the Shore -- are now purchasing cleaner and
renewable electric service from Green Mountain Energy Company, the nation's
largest and fastest growing residential provider of cleaner electricity. The
service represents 12 percent of the electricity purchased by the State
government, for a total of 113 million kilowatt hours over the 15-month term
of the contract. That's equivalent to the average amount of electricity
purchased in a month by approximately 173,000 homes in New Jersey.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the U.S.
Department of Energy, only three other states have implemented green power
purchase programs for government-operated facilities: Maryland at six percent
of the state electric load, Pennsylvania at five percent, and Tennessee at
two percent.
"Choosing renewable sources of energy is a way to help clean the air we
breathe. New Jersey is helping to lead by example by purchasing power for
some of our State facilities from Green Mountain Energy Company that is
less-polluting than generic system power," said Governor James E. McGreevey.
The Governor added that families and businesses throughout New Jersey can
choose to purchase cleaner and renewable electricity thanks to the New Jersey
Energy Choice program administered by the BPU.
"Making electricity causes more air pollution than any other industry in
the United States, emitting billions of tons of carbon dioxide annually," said
A. Clifton Payne, eastern region president for Green Mountain Energy Company.
"Green Mountain Energy(SM) electricity will help the State avoid 9,000 tons of
carbon dioxide emissions over the length of the contract. That prevents as
much carbon dioxide pollution as not making 136,800 trips by car up the length
of the New Jersey Turnpike -- adding up to more than 20 million miles."
During the news conference, a utility-scale wind turbine -- as tall as the
Statue of Liberty -- at the Green Mountain Wind Farm some 400 miles away in
Garrett, Pennsylvania, was ceremonially dedicated to the State of New Jersey
for its commitment to renewable energy. The wind turbine was seen live on a
monitor at the State House via satellite downlink. The Green Mountain Wind
Farm generates pollution-free electricity that goes into the regional power
grid on behalf of Green Mountain Energy(SM) electricity customers in New
Jersey and Pennsylvania.
State facilities covered under the contract will purchase Green Mountain
Energy's(SM) "Enviro Blend," a Green-e certified product generated from
renewable resources such as wind, water, biomass and solar generation.
Green-e is a program of the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS), a non-profit
organization based in San Francisco, CA. To receive Green-e certification, an
energy product must come from at least 50% eligible renewable resources.
Green Mountain Energy Company also agrees to abide by the Green-e Code of
Conduct, and to meet Green-e disclosure and truth-in-advertising requirements.
The company will also undergo an annual verification process.
The Green Mountain Energy Company contract with the State runs through
June 2003. In addition to the New Jersey State government, Pennsylvania is
also buying over 13,500 megawatts of cleaner electricity from Green Mountain
Energy Company.
Since 1999, the demand for cleaner Green Mountain Energy(SM) electricity
has led to the development of eight new renewable facilities, including the
first utility-scale wind power facility in the PJM Interconnection grid, and
two large, grid-side solar electric generating stations in Pennsylvania.
Green Mountain Energy Company began offering its cleaner and renewable
brand of electricity to New Jersey consumers in March 2000. Payne said that
electric customers in New Jersey can choose Green Mountain Energy(SM)
electricity through the New Jersey Energy Choice program
(http://www.njenergychoice.com ) or http://www.greenmountain.com/nj , or by calling
1-888-246-6730.

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