Development News From Southwest Indiana

Vectren Adds Call Center Workers

InsideIndianaBusiness.com Report, 12/15/2005
Evansville-based Vectren Corp. (NYSE:VVC) has added 44 call takers to its customer contact center in southwest Indiana due to growing hold times and record call volumes.

Vectren says calls into its center have exceeded 2.7 million to date this year, that's up more than 17 percent from last year.
Source: Inside INdiana Business

Press Release
EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Responding to growing hold times and record call volumes, Vectren Energy Delivery, Inc. (Vectren; NYSE: VVC) has added 44 new call takers to its Evansville, Ind.-based customer contact center.

"As cold weather has arrived, Vectren has seen call volumes increasing significantly and anticipates this will continue through the heating season," said Vectren Vice President of Customer Service and Marketing Douglas Karl. "By adding call takers, providing a call back service and continually improving Vectren.com we are responding to the need to timely communicate with our customers."

Calls into Vectren's call center have exceeded 2.7 million year to date, up more than 17 percent from last year. In addition to the added call takers, Vectren offers VirtualHold technology allowing the customer to bypass the hold time, go about their business and receive a call back from Vectren rather than hold on the line. Also, Vectren.com provides easy internet access to actual bill information, payment plans and other assistance information to help customers cope with colder temperatures and higher bills.

New program
In addition, Vectren staffers are gearing up for a new assistance program announced Tuesday by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels. The Help Thy Neighbor program will provide up to a $200 credit for customers with a disconnect notice and whose income falls between 150 and 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The program begins Jan. 2, 2006.

"The governor's new program certainly will help. This is a national issue and I'm pleased the state of Indiana is taking a creative approach to this urgent problem," Karl said.

Contributions
Customers are urged to help those less fortunate by donating to Vectren's Share the Warmth and/or the state's Help Thy Neighbor programs. Vectren has contributed $500,000 and will match up to $200,000 in individual donor Share the Warmth contributions during this heating season to provide additional Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds that directly benefit Vectren customers. Vectren has committed more than $4.2 million through assistance programs this heating season.

Individual tax deductible contributions to Share the Warmth may be sent to: Share the Warmth, P.O. Box 931, Evansville, IN 47706-0931.

Tax deductible contributions to the state's Help Thy Neighbor may be sent to: Help Thy Neighbor Heating Fund, P.O. Box 660265 Indianapolis, IN 46266 or call 866-628-1616.

Additional assistance
The USP provides a monthly discount to income-eligible customers. Indiana customers who have applied for the state's Energy Assistance Program (EAP) through local Community Action Agencies will automatically be enrolled in the USP and will receive bill reductions in addition to EAP assistance. Monthly bill reductions will range from 15 percent to 32 percent of the total bill (not including EAP benefits), depending on the consumer's income level. Customers looking for financial assistance can locate their local community action agency by calling 1-800-382-9895.

Vectren's budget bill program continues to be an alternative way to plan for the utility bill. Customers can effectively spread the cost of the annual estimated bill throughout the year. This payment plan will eliminate month-to- month uncertainties as bills can dramatically fluctuate during the winter as gas prices and consumption patterns change.

About Vectren
Vectren Corporation (NYSE: VVC) is an energy and applied technology holding company headquartered in Evansville, Indiana. Vectren's energy delivery subsidiaries provide gas and/or electricity to over one million customers in adjoining service territories that cover nearly two-thirds of Indiana and west central Ohio. Vectren's non-regulated subsidiaries and affiliates currently offer energy-related products and services to customers throughout the surrounding region. These services include energy marketing; coal mining; utility infrastructure services; and broadband communication services. To learn more about Vectren, visit http://www.vectren.com .
Source: Vectren Corp.