Atmos Energy Advises Customers to Sign Up for Other Utilities' Budget Billing Plans to Combat Overall Higher Energy Prices

Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE: ATO) reminds customers that now is the time to take control of rising energy bills by signing up for budget billing plans offered by a variety of utility companies. Budget billing plans help make energy bills more affordable year-round.

"The costs for all forms of energy have risen this past year,” said Robert W. Best, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Atmos Energy Corporation. "Although wholesale prices for oil and natural gas have come down dramatically in recent weeks, their costs set new records earlier this summer.”

Volatility in energy costs makes it difficult for many consumers to stay within their household budgets, Best said. "So, one of the best ways to control energy bills is by signing up for budget billing with all energy utilities that offer this option,” he said.

Most electric and natural gas utilities offer some type of budget billing plan, including Atmos Energy.

"The budget billing payment amount may vary from month to month due to changes in gas cost and usage, but the plan gives customers more consistent bills and helps them reduce their highest bills,” said Jeff Hardgrave, Atmos Energy vice president of customer service. "This tool should give customers more control over their bills and help them avoid winter ‘sticker shock.’”

How Budget Billing Works

Each month, the Budget Billing plan recalculates the average using the previous 12 bills to arrive at the current amount to pay. The monthly payment will change slightly depending upon the most current 12-month average, but stays within a manageable, predictable range. With the Atmos Energy Budget Billing plan, there is no "settle up” month as with some utilities.

"The plan works year-round to smooth out monthly bills with only slight fluctuations. But the real benefit for natural gas customers comes in the winter when changes in weather, consumption and volatile gas prices produce higher natural gas bills,” said Hardgrave.

The Atmos Energy Budget Billing plan is free to qualified customers who are encouraged to sign up now to prepare for lower winter bills. Qualified customers can enroll online at www.atmosenergy.com or, for more information, call the company’s toll-free number, 1-888-ATMOS-00 (1-888-286-6700).

About Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is the country's largest natural-gas-only distributor, serving about 3.2 million natural gas distribution customers in more than 1,600 communities in 12 states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy also provides natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial, commercial and municipal customers primarily in the Midwest and Southeast and manages company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas. Atmos Energy is a Fortune 500 company. For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.