GULFPORT, Miss., January 11 — Sustained below-freezing temperatures have contributed to Mississippi Power’s second new all-time record demand for electricity in less than a week. The preliminary peak demand for electricity averaged about 2,883,000 kilowatts at 7 a.m., Monday, January 11, surpassing the company’s latest all-time peak of 2,698,000 kilowatts set on Tuesday, January 5.

These are the first times ever for the company’s winter peaks to reach all-time record levels. Historically, the record peaks have occurred in the hot summer months.

“We are aware that extreme weather conditions – whether hot or cold like what we’ve been experiencing the past couple of weeks – contribute to unexpected expenses for customers in need,”  said Todd Terrell, director of Corporate Communications. “Mississippi Power is committed to helping these customers by supporting emergency energy assistance and weatherization programs through the Red Cross and other community agencies.”

Each year, Mississippi Power contributes $50,000 to the Red Cross to distribute for energy assistance. In addition, last year through the Project SHARE program, customers and employees contributed more than $70,000. Since the program’s inception in 2002, Project SHARE has raised more than $600,000 for the Red Cross.

 “The energy assistance programs are designed to help people with particularly unusual circumstances,” Terrell said. “Elderly and disabled people on fixed incomes often can’t overcome unexpected expenses such as those caused by unusually cold weather or unexpected medical bills.

“A partner with us for 26 years, the Red Cross knows the needs in the community and is experienced in providing similar assistance programs,” Terrell said. “They reach each of the communities we serve.”

In 2009, Mississippi Power also began working with local community action agencies to provide weatherization and energy efficiency education to customers in greatest need. Last year, employees helped weatherize and gave “Energy Efficiency in a Box” tools to about 100 households throughout the service area.

“While programs like Project SHARE are needed and are intended to provide a temporary monetary relief, our weatherization projects help provide long-term benefits to customers by helping make their homes more energy efficient and giving them the tools to understand how to better manage their energy usage,” Terrell said. 

To apply for Project SHARE assistance, customers should go to any Red Cross location across Mississippi Power’s 23-county service territory. To contribute to Project SHARE, go online to www.mississippipower.com.

Mississippi Power, headquartered in Gulfport, provides retail and wholesale electric service to approximately 200,000 customers in 23 counties from the Gulf Coast to Meridian.  The company owns or has significant ownership interests in six generating facilities with net dependable generating capacity of 3,166 megawatts.  Electricity is sent across 8,371 miles of transmission and distribution lines to retail customers principally in Gulfport, Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Meridian, Pascagoula, Columbia, Laurel, Waveland, Lucedale and Picayune. 

Large wholesale customers include six electric cooperatives -- Coast EPA, Singing River EPA, Southern Pine EPA, Dixie EPA, Pearl River EPA and East Mississippi EPA -- the City of Collins and South Mississippi Electric Power Association.  Large retail customers include the following: United States military installations -- Keesler Air Force Base and Naval Construction Battalion Center (Seabee Base); the University of Southern Mississippi; NASA Stennis Space Center; oil and gas infrastructure, including a refinery; multiple foundries and shipbuilders; the Mississippi National Guard Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center near Hattiesburg and the Mississippi Air National Guard in Meridian.

Mississippi Power, a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO), employs 1,300 Mississippi residents.  In 2008, Mississippi Power paid $115 million in federal, state and local taxes.  Southern Company stock is held by nearly 3,000 Mississippi residents.

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