Rhoads Energy Rolls Out Natural Gas Service to Lancaster, Berks Counties in Pennsylvania

LANCASTER, PA September 15, 2010 (Press-News.org) Homeowners and small businesses in Central Pennsylvania now have a lower-cost, local alternative for natural gas — just in time for winter.

Rhoads Energy Corp. announced today it will begin immediately offering natural gas to residential and small commercial customers in Lancaster and Berks Counties — a service area with more than 100,000 homes that heat with natural gas. Rhoads Energy will be the only full-service natural-gas supplier based in Lancaster.

The company today began an aggressive marketing campaign to provide the area's natural gas users with details on the program's benefits:

• Lower rates: Rhoads Energy's rate is currently 14% lower than UGI's "price to compare," which can translate to savings of $100 a year or more for homeowners, and much more for commercial users. Rhoads Energy also guarantees its rate for one full year.
• Simple transition: The company created a convenient online enrollment form at http://www.RhoadEnergy.com, enabling new natural gas customers to complete the switch to Rhoads Energy in about two minutes.
• Convenience: Rhoads Energy will offer preferred customer budget payment billing, which divides payments into equal monthly installments, and online payment options.

Earlier this year, Rhoads Energy secured a license from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to offer natural gas to territories of UGI Utilities, Inc., which includes Lancaster, Berks, Dauphin, Lehigh and Lebanon Counties.

According to Michael F. DeBerdine, III, Rhoads Energy's CEO, the company will initially focus on providing service in Lancaster and Berks Counties.

"By offering lower natural gas rates and a seamless transition, Rhoads Energy hopes to reduce winter heating costs for thousands of homeowners in our area," DeBerdine said. "At the same time, those customers can work with a local, family-owned company their neighbors have trusted for decades."

As part of its natural gas rollout, the company also created a natural gas Premium Protection Plan, which offers 24-hour emergency service, annual maintenance and no charge for repair or replacement of covered parts. The service plan was designed to be more comprehensive and proactive than competing programs, DeBerdine notes.

Rhoads Energy will continue to install and service natural gas systems, as it has for years. All its services are provided by local technicians who have earned certification from NATE (North American Technician Excellence), the largest national certification organization.

Rhoads Energy, which is based in Lancaster, has been serving the area since 1917. The company offers heating oil delivery, installation and service of heating and cooling equipment, geothermal installation, commercial fueling and other energy services in the region.

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About Rhoads Energy Corporation Since 1917, when Jerome Rhoads began selling kerosene from the back of a rail car, Rhoads Energy has continuously expanded and evolved. The company offers heating oil delivery, heating and cooling equipment installation, geothermal installation, commercial fueling, natural gas and a range of energy-related programs for homeowners. Rhoads Energy and its affiliates serve Lancaster, Chester, Berks and Montgomery Counties. For more information, visit http://www.RhoadsEnergy.com.