Direct Energy Supports Expansion of Texas Children's Heart Centers

Houston (December 18, 2015) - At a celebratory event this morning, Texas Children's Hospital announced a $5 million commitment from Direct Energy to the hospital's Promise Campaign. The gift will be used to help expand Texas Children's Heart Center in order to serve more children in the Houston community, the state of Texas and across the nation. Texas Children's Heart Center is ranked #2 nationally in cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report. For more information about Texas Children's Heart Center visit texaschildrens.org/heart.

Direct Energy's commitment is the largest corporate gift ever made to a Texas Children's campaign priority. More than 100 employees from both institutions gathered at Texas Children's to celebrate and hear remarks from Mark A. Wallace, president and CEO of Texas Children's; Michael C. Linn, co-chair of the Promise Campaign and a member of the Texas Children's Board of Trustees; and Badar Khan, president and CEO of Direct Energy.

"Direct Energy's generous support will help ensure Texas Children's is able to continue to provide highly specialized care to each and every child who comes to us for help – and particularly to those who are the most critically ill and have the most complex needs," said Wallace. One of the highest priorities within the Promise Campaign is the expansion of the critical, surgical and emergency care services and facilities at the Texas Medical Center campus, including Texas Children's Heart Center.

"Texas Children's is a world-class provider of pediatric care and Direct Energy is proud to join forces with this extraordinary institution and make this meaningful gift," said Khan. "We know our partnership with Texas Children's will make a difference in the health and well-being of countless children and families."

Texas Children's recently began construction on a new 640,000-square-foot, 19-story pediatric tower. Texas Children's Heart Center will be expanded and relocated to this pediatric tower to provide complex care more efficiently and serve even more patients. The new facility will also house pediatric intensive care units, cardiovascular intensive care units and operating rooms.

Each year, Texas Children's Heart Center specialists see 20,000 patients in outpatient clinics. In 2014, Texas Children's surgeons performed 900 congenital heart surgeries and 32 heart transplants – more than any other pediatric hospital in the nation. Texas Children's has also pioneered many of the now-standard cardiac procedures used around the world. Promise: The Campaign for Texas Children's Hospital is a comprehensive, $475 million fundraising effort launched in 2014 to help ensure the hospital meets the increasing need for specialized care for Houston's rapidly growing pediatric community. For more information about the Promise campaign, visit www.texaschildrens.org/promise.

About Direct Energy:

Direct Energy is one of North America's largest energy and energy-related services provider with nearly five million residential and commercial customers. Direct Energy provides customers with choice and support in managing their energy costs through a portfolio of innovative products and services. A subsidiary of Centrica plc (LSE: CNA), one of the world's leading integrated energy companies, Direct Energy operates in 50 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia and 10 provinces in Canada.

About Texas Children's Hospital

Texas Children's Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Center for pediatric research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, a second community hospital planned to open in 2017. The organization also created the nation's first HMO for children, has the largest pediatric primary care network in the country and a global health program that's channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.

For further information, please contact:
Jessica Michan
Direct Energy
(713) 805-7306

Lindsey Fox
Texas Children's Hospital
(832) 824-2040