Progress Energy is no stranger to EEI honors, having earned the Emergency Response Award a record five times in the program's eight-year history. Progress Energy took home that honor in 1998 (for Hurricane Bonnie), 1999 (Hurricane Floyd), 2000 (January storm), 2002 (December ice storm) and again after the record 2004 hurricane season in Florida.

The 2005 award recognized Progress Energy's efforts in assisting Entergy, Cleco and FP&L. The company sent a total of 471 employees and more than 600 contractors from Florida and the Carolinas to assist in restoration activities after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.

Bill Johnson, president and chief operating officer, accepted the award today at the annual EEI CEO conference.

"We have won a number of honors and awards for our storm response over the last several years, largely for storms that left widespread outages and damage in our service areas," Johnson said. "This one represents another equally important aspect of storm response -- the mutual-assistance agreements that have benefited us and our customers so often in the past. While we would all prefer to not have the opportunity to win storm-related awards, it is reassuring to receive the recognition of our peers and to be in position to help so many other companies in their time of need. Congratulations and thanks to all those who traveled outside our service areas and endured difficult conditions to get life back to normal for so many people."

EEI President Tom Kuhn said the award "exemplifies the true spirit of our industry's mutual-assistance program, which itself is unique in the annals of modern corporate America. These companies, and the men and women who answered the call, represent the finest tradition in our industry."

Winners in the annual competition are chosen by a panel of judges following a national nomination process.

# # #