Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Makes Move To Sustainable Future

Pittsburgh, PA (6/24/2011) - Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (Harvard Pilgrim) purchased Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from Direct Energy Business as a part of their energy supply plan, meaning that for the next 4 years, Harvard Pilgrim will offset 100 percent of the power they receive in its Quincy, MA office with Green-e® Energy RECs from wind energy.

"Purchasing our electricity from renewable sources reduces Harvard Pilgrim's carbon footprint and other negative impacts on the environment which helps us fulfill our mission of improving the health of society and our goal of being a good corporate citizen," said James Connolly, Harvard Pilgrim's Facility Manager.

By purchasing RECs, businesses can help offset the impacts associated with their everyday conventional electricity use.

"Moving towards a sustainable future means encouraging customers to consider various product options that help to support various renewable energy sources, such as wind," said Mike Senff, Vice President of North American Sales and Marketing for Direct Energy Business. "To achieve this goal, we believe in offering our customers the opportunity to purchase Renewable Energy Certificates, which not only give our customers the ability to offset their own energy usage, but also offer them the opportunity to support renewable energy sources by their purchases."

Over a year ago, Direct Energy Business signed an extended four year agreement with PowerOptions to supply electricity to PowerOptions' 500 members. PowerOptions is an electricity aggregator that allows its members to purchase energy directly from the wholesale market. As a PowerOptions member, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care has been able to align with other businesses that are members of the PowerOptions aggregation to receive efficient and economical energy.

"PowerOptions has always anticipated a move toward renewable energy for our members and included it as a component of the program," said PowerOptions President & CEO Cynthia A. Arcate. "We're pleased this offering met Harvard Pilgrim's needs."

About Direct Energy

Direct Energy Business is one of North America's largest commercial retail energy suppliers and a Direct Energy company. With more than 20 years of industry experience, Direct Energy Business is dedicated to helping customers make cost-effective choices for their electricity and natural gas requirements. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, Direct Energy Business serves nearly 50,000 customers in 14 states, the District of Columbia and five Canadian provinces. Direct Energy is wholly owned by Centrica plc. (LSE:CNA,) one of the world's leading integrated energy companies. To learn more, visit www.business.directenergy.com/small-business .

About Harvard Pilgrim Health Care

Harvard Pilgrim is a not-for-profit health plan that provides a variety of insurance plan options and self-funding arrangements to more than one million members in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. For the seventh consecutive year, Harvard Pilgrim was named the #1 private health plan in America according to an annual ranking of the nation's best health plans by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). For more information, please visit www.harvardpilgrim.org .

About PowerOptions®

The award-winning PowerOptions® was formed by HEFA in 1996 and operates as a stand-alone nonprofit organization. It is among the largest electricity and natural gas purchasing consortiums in Massachusetts, with $220 million of annual energy commodity purchases and a combined demand of approximately 200 megawatts of electricity and 11 Bcf of natural gas usage. Any nonprofit or public institution in Massachusetts may become a member and participate in this collective purchasing effort. For more information, visit www.poweroptions.org

For further information, please contact:

Bethany Ruhe
Manager, Public Relations
Direct Energy Business
1-412-667-5616
Bethany.ruhe@directenergy.com