The nation’s leading chain and multi-site businesses have named the winners of Edison Electric Institute’s 2009 National Key Accounts Customer Service Awards program. Ten electric utility companies and four utility representatives were recognized for their outstanding service in the areas that the chains believe to be critical—Communication During Emergencies, Energy Efficiency Programs, and Overall Excellence.

The winners of the 2009 EEI National Key Accounts Customer Service Awards are:

Communication During Emergencies

• American Electric Power
• Entergy
• Progress Energy

Energy Efficiency Programs

• Florida Power & Light
• NV Energy
• Pacific Gas & Electric
• Portland General Electric
• Southern California Edison
• Xcel Energy
• Individuals: Ralph Calleja (Florida Power & Light), Judy Corrigan (Xcel Energy), Marguerite Towne (National Grid)

Overall Excellence

• American Electric Power
• Entergy
• Southern Company
• Individual: Barry Mosser (American Electric Power)

The companies voting in the awards program included national brands such as Walgreens, Target, Staples, McDonalds, HealthSouth, and Wal-Mart. Thomas R. Kuhn, President, Edison Electric Institute, said, “The chains put a premium on utilities that tailored programs and services to meet their needs, and on companies and individuals that provided them with information they needed in a simple, fast, and accurate way.”

Kuhn added that “the winning utilities and individuals understand that the health of their business is dependent upon the health of their customer’s business. With today’s volatile energy prices and uncertain economic conditions, the winners know that they must continually work to make their customers more energy efficient, more productive, and ultimately, more profitable.”

Since its inception in 1988, EEI’s National Key Accounts Program (www.eei.org/na) has addressed the unique and growing needs of those commercial customers with multiple sites or outlets, including chains and franchise operations.

Through the National Key Accounts network of electric utilities, these businesses gain a single point of contact at each utility that serves their company. This National Accounts executive can offer a variety of valuable services including expediting new service connections, providing information about rates, and suggesting ways to improve energy efficiency.

The 2009 EEI National Key Accounts Customer Service Awards were presented during the National Key Accounts Fall Workshop in Desert Springs, California.