November 16, 2009

Bangor Hydro Shares Winter Preparation and Safety Tips

Bangor, ME-- Bangor Hydro Electric Company wants customers to remain safe and warm this winter.To prevent falling behind on winter electric bills, Bangor Hydro asks customers to contact the Customer Service Center at 800-499-6600, to discuss any difficulties in paying their bills. Representatives are available to assist customers with payment options, accessing assistance, and even reducing electricity use to lower bills.

"We recognize that during the winter months, many families' budgets are stretched thin," said Jen Brooker, Manager of Customer Service. "We want customers to talk to us so we can work together to find a solution if they are having problems with their bill."

Bangor Hydro also offers some winter safety tips. Customers using space heaters should observe the following guidelines:

-Place heaters on the floor rather than on or near furniture

-Do not use in wet or moist areas, such as bathrooms, unless certified for that purpose

-Do not place cords under rugs or carpets

-Be sure the plug fits snugly into the outlet

-Keep away from children and pets

During storms, power outages may occur. Customers can plan ahead for these situations in the following ways:

-Keep flashlights with fresh batteries on hand

-Pick up a battery-operated radio to keep you updated on the storm

-Make sure you have a supply of bottled water on hand

-Keep some non-perishable food items on hand

-Ensure that alternate heat sources are in good working order

-Stay clear of downed power lines and trees touching them

-Report and view outage information at bangorhydro.com or receive updates via twitter

Additional information on the above-mentioned topics and more is available at bangorhydro.com.

Bangor Hydro Electric Company (BHE) is an electric utility wholly-owned by Emera Inc. BHE serves a population of 192,000 in an area encompassing 5,275 square miles in eastern and east coastal Maine. BHE is a member of the New England Power Pool and is interconnected with other New England utilities to the south and with the New Brunswick Power Corp. to the north. Visit us at www.bhe.com.

Emera Inc. (EMA-TSX) is an energy and services company with $4.7 billion in assets. Electricity is Emera's core business. The company has two wholly-owned regulated electric utility subsidiaries, Nova Scotia Power Inc. and Bangor Hydro Electric Company, which together serve 600,000 customers. Emera also owns 19% of St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited, which serves more than 50,000 customers on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia and 25% of Grand Bahama Power Company which serves 19,000 customers on the Caribbean island of Grand Bahama. In addition to its electric utility investments, Emera has a joint venture interest in Bear Swamp, a 600 megawatt pumped storage Hydro Electric facility in northern Massachusetts; a 12.9% interest in the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline; a 7.4% interest in Open Hydro and Emera Energy Services which manages energy assets on behalf of third parties. Visit Emera on the web at www.emera.com.