$100 Rebate Slashes Price of Clothes Washers and Energy Costs; Puget Sound Energy Consumers Place High Demand on Energy-Efficient Appliances.

News Editors/Lifestyle Editors

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 2, 2003

Customers of Puget Sound Energy (utility subsidiary of Puget Energy (NYSE:PSD)) who purchase certain energy-efficient clothes washers with an ENERGY STAR(R) label will qualify to receive a $100 rebate.

PSE customers who purchase an ENERGY STAR-energy-efficient clothes washer between April 15 and July 15, 2003, will qualify for a $50 rebate, instead of the normal $35, from the utility. They also will be eligible for an additional $50 rebate from major manufacturers of the appliance. The manufacturers include Equator, Fisher & Paykel, Frigidaire/Gibson, GE, Kenmore, Maytag, Miele and Whirlpool.

"Appliances make up 20 percent of the average household's energy usage, and clothes washers are one of the biggest year-round energy consumers," said Cal Shirley, Puget Sound Energy director of energy-efficiency services. "An ENERGY STAR-qualified clothes washer uses 40 percent less energy than a standard model, and is an excellent way for consumers to achieve long-term savings in energy, money and water."

ENERGY STAR-qualified clothes washers can save consumers up to $73 per year on their electricity and water bills.

Already, the Puget Sound Energy "Double Your Savings with ENERGY STAR" promotion has been well received. Since April 15, Puget Sound Energy customers purchased nearly 530 energy-efficient clothes washers and were awarded approximately $50,000 in rebates.

"These energy-efficient clothes washers are becoming more popular with consumers," said Margie Gardner, executive director of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. "In 2002, more than 39 percent of clothes washers sold were ENERGY STAR qualified, nearly an 11 percent increase over the previous year. These clothes washers are becoming more attractive to consumers due to enhanced savings at the point of purchase and on their utility bills."

Rebate information and forms on ENERGY STAR-qualified clothes washers, as well as a list of participating retailers, are available on the PSE Web site at www.pse.com or by calling 800/562-1482.