ATLANTA, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's premier public health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has signed a two-year contract with Georgia Power to purchase renewable energy for its centers nationwide.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050216/CLW066LOGO )

The purchase of more than 364,600 blocks of green energy, or 5 percent of the organization's annual kilowatt-hour consumption, will make the CDC Georgia Power's largest Green Energy customer.

"This recent purchase by the CDC really demonstrates the agency's commitment to the environment and the development of renewable energy in Georgia and around the country," said Ervan Hancock, Georgia Power's renewable and green strategies manager. "By purchasing such a large number of blocks of green energy, the agency has clearly taken a leadership role among its counterparts and given a significant boost to the program."

By using environmentally friendly green energy generated from sources like the sun, wind, water, landfill methane and biomass, the CDC will help protect the environment, conserve natural resources, help promote the use of renewable energy in Georgia and support domestic self-reliance.

The CDC made its purchase through the large volume option of the Green Energy program. Georgia Power is currently getting most of its electricity for the program from a landfill methane-to-energy plant at the Seminole Landfill in DeKalb County.

Since Georgia Power began the Green Energy program in October 2006, more than 4,300 customers have committed to purchase in excess of 3 million kilowatt-hours of green energy, or enough electricity to power approximately 3,100 homes using 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month.

Residential customers can purchase 100-kilowatt-hour blocks of Green Energy for $3.50 per block, which is added to their monthly electricity bill. They may also choose Green Energy that includes a solar component for $4.50 per block.

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation's largest generators of electricity. The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility with rates well below the national average. Georgia Power serves 2.3 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties.

The CDC is the nation's disease prevention and wellness promotion agency, protecting people's health and safety, providing credible information to enhance health decisions, and improving health through strong partnerships. The agency includes 18 institutes, centers and offices, with approximately 14,000, full-time, part-time and contract employees. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and in 54 countries.

www.georgiapower.com

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050216/CLW066LOGO
AP?Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN?Photo?Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

SOURCE: Georgia Power Co.

Web site: http://www.georgiapower.com/