NSTAR Taps ENERGYguide for Assistance in Helping Customers Save Energy and Money.

Business/Technology Editors

NEWTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 7, 2000

NSTAR Offers 1.3 Million Customers User-Friendly Energy Analysis

Tools to Help Control Energy Costs and Promote Energy Efficiency

ENERGYguide, the leading resource for helping consumers lower energy bills, today announced a new contract with NSTAR whereby they will offer ENERGYguide content under their brand to their customers. NSTAR has already begun to offer ENERGYguide's new Energysmart home energy analysis tool to its customers. NSTAR's 1.3 million residential consumers now have access to the tool and other ENERGYguide content.

The ENERGYsmart home analysis tool allows users to conduct self-directed energy evaluation and to create custom, personalized energy efficiency plans that outline energy savings estimates as well as environmental benefits. ENERGYsmart's interactive and entertaining content helps homeowners and renters make smart energy choices ranging from purchasing and maximizing the benefits of energy efficient appliances to selecting energy providers in a deregulated states. An additional application provided with ENERGYsmart is ENERGYsmart University, a graphics-rich educational resource that contains unique information and additional tools that answer consumers' energy-related questions.

"ENERGYsmart does not require the user to have knowledge of the energy industry or to depend upon the assistance of an energy consultant. ENERGYsmart's ease-of-use makes it an invaluable customer service tool for utilities as well as their consumers," said Harvey Michaels, CEO of ENERGYguide. "In recent customer survey, more than 96% of end-users said that they would recommend ENERGYsmart to a friend."

ENERGYsmart further enhances the user's ability to reduce energy consumption via its integration with ENERGYguide's e-commerce functionality. This enables utilities to offer customers the ability to make online purchases of items that will help them implement the recommendations of their home energy analysis.

About NSTAR

NSTAR, Massachusetts' largest electric and gas distribution company, is the parent company of Boston Edison, ComElectric, ComGas and Cambridge Electric serving 1.3 million customers in 100 Masschusetts cities and towns. NSTAR also has subsidiaries in telecommunications and district heating and cooling.

About ENERGYguide

ENERGYguide helps consumers and small businesses lower their energy bills and make smart energy decisions, ranging from improving energy efficiency to choosing new energy suppliers in deregulated states. ENERGYguide is the partner of choice for utilities and energy companies as well as other leading Web sites that want to offer their customers and visitors rich content and energy-related e-commerce. ENERGYguide's easy-to-use electricity and natural gas comparison shopping tools enable consumers to sign up for energy offers online. ENERGYguide's energy analysis tools show users how to both lower energy bills and help the environment and they offer personalized assistance in shopping for the more than 200 energy-efficient products that are sold online at ENERGYguide.com. ENERGYguide is not an affiliate of any energy company.