January 28, 2000

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - The drop in the temperature has many gas customers turning up the thermostat and setting new usage records. Atlanta Gas Light Company (AGLC) today reported that the demand for natural gas in Georgia hit a seasonal high this week. The company says it moved 18.7 million therms of natural gas on behalf of marketers Wednesday night, the highest amount so far since the winter season began.

The surge in demand forced Atlanta Gas Light Company to start using gas reserves from its liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in Cherokee County, Riverdale, and Macon.

"The last time we had this much gas moving through the system was January 4, 1999," said AGLC's Brad Freeman, director of gas operations. Wednesday's volume is the third largest in company history. The largest amount of natural gas moved through the system came on February 4, 1996 when more than 20 million therms of gas were used.

Although marketers purchase gas for their customers, they all have reserves of gas manufactured at AGLC's LNG plants in anticipation of occasions when demand outweighs the amount of gas coming in from out-of-state.

The increase in the demand for gas also means some large industrial customers have had to cut back on the amount of natural gas they use in their operations in order to ensure residential customers have gas to heat their homes.

With the five-day forecast calling for very cold weather, Atlanta Gas Light anticipates the demand for gas will remain high, as people use gas logs, space heaters, gas furnaces and gas generators to heat their homes.