Washington Gas Earns Top Ranking in J.D. Power Business Customer Satisfaction Survey

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Washington Gas has earned the highest ranking among utilities in the East region according to the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study released last week. Receiving an overall customer satisfaction index score of 647, Washington Gas was 34 points above the next-highest utility and 43 points above the regional average. Ratings are based on a 1,000-point scale. There are nine gas utilities in J.D. Power’s East region.

“In addition to the top ranking for residential customer satisfaction in the East region that Washington Gas achieved in the 2008 J.D. Power residential customer survey, this current award demonstrates our dedication to providing the very best service to all of our customers”

“We are very proud be ranked as the top utility in the East by our commercial customers,” said James H. DeGraffenreidt, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Washington Gas. “We appreciate the recognition from our business customers for the great strides we have made to enhance our customer service and communications, as well as for our commitment to our shareholders and the community we have served for 160 years.”

Now in its fourth year, the J.D. Power and Associates Gas Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Survey measures customer satisfaction in four regions: East, Midwest, South and West. Satisfaction is determined by examining six factors: billing and payment, corporate citizenship, price, communications, customer service and field service.

“In addition to the top ranking for residential customer satisfaction in the East region that Washington Gas achieved in the 2008 J.D. Power residential customer survey, this current award demonstrates our dedication to providing the very best service to all of our customers,” DeGraffenreidt added.

The study is based on online interviews with representatives of more than 7,600 U.S. businesses that spend between $200 and $50,000 monthly on natural gas. Additionally, more than 40 utility brands — each serving more than 32,000 business customers —were examined. The study was fielded from June to July 2008 and from October to December 2008.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Washington Gas is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WGL Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: WGL). The parent company holds a group of energy-related retail businesses that focus primarily on retail energy-marketing and commercial heating, ventilating and air conditioning services.

Additional information about WGL Holdings is available on its Web site, http://www.wglholdings.com/. Go to http://www.washingtongas.com/ for more information about Washington Gas Light Co.