'Get Green to Go Green'; Pacific Gas and Electric Company Urges Customers to Celebrate Earth Day by Making Homes Energy Efficient; Financing Program Makes it Easy.

Business Editors & Energy/Environment Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 20, 2000

For anyone who has ever considered purchasing energy-efficient equipment or making changes around the house to help reduce energy use, there's no better time than Earth Day 2000.

While the world celebrates the 30th anniversary of the holiday that spawned environmental consciousness, Northern and Central California homeowners can take advantage of a new program to finance home improvements that will not only save on monthly energy bills, but can help cut pollution caused by gas and electricity generation. ENERGY STAR(R) Financing, a new product of First Financial Funding Group, will help residents purchase ENERGY STAR(R) labeled equipment -- from air conditioning, gas furnaces, windows, to ceiling insulation.

Homeowners can find out more by calling 1-800/713-2136 and requesting a "Get Green to Go Green" kit.

California-based First Financial Funding Group and Pacific Gas and Electric Company have teamed up with ENERGY STAR(R) -- a combined effort of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) -- to offer the utility's customers in Northern and Central California financing to purchase qualifying ENERGY STAR(R) equipment. According to ENERGY STAR(R), heating and cooling equipment bearing the ENERGY STAR(R) label can save customers up to 40 percent on monthly heating and cooling costs, while reducing the amount of pollution caused by the generation of gas and electricity.

Customers who use First Financial's ENERGY STAR(R) Financing may receive 100% financing for up to $20,000 worth of energy-efficient equipment installations with same-day financing approvals.

Customers who call the toll free "Get Green to Go Green" phone number will receive a detailed consumer kit that includes a video and information about how to finance home improvements, as well as a list of First Financial Funding Group-approved local contractors who can help them select the right ENERGY STAR(R) equipment and walk them through the financing application process.

"Pacific Gas and Electric Company is dedicated to helping our customers save energy. We are pleased to see a financing product that offers our customers a way to reduce their energy use and helps them purchase energy efficient equipment," said Steve McCarty, the utility's manager of customer energy management.

For more information about Pacific Gas and Electric Company, please visit our web site, http://www.pge.com

First Financial Funding Group is located in Sacramento, California, and has been serving the community since 1981. First Financial Funding Group has provided over $1 billion in consumer financing by offering contractors a number of financing options designed to give customers a fast, easy and affordable way to complete home improvement projects. As an ENERGY STAR(R) financing partner, First Financial Funding Group offers special financing terms to purchase qualifying ENERGY STAR(R) products. A First Financial Funding Group representative can be reached at 1-800/300-0974, or at http://www.energystar.gov.

Note to Editors: Earth Day is April 22.