UNION GAS ANNOUNCES BINDING OPEN SEASON FOR INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION

CHATHAM, Ontario -- Beginning today, Union Gas will conduct a binding open season to address demand-driven natural gas transportation infrastructure expansion opportunities in southwestern Ontario.

The purpose of the binding open season is to solidify interest expressed in Union Gas services during the combined eastern North America open season conducted by Duke Energy Gas Transmission’s  Algonquin, Texas Eastern and Union Gas units last summer.

Shippers seeking to transport natural gas on the Union Gas Dawn-Parkway transportation system, effective Nov. 1, 2007, are encouraged to participate. Shippers may bid on firm transportation from Dawn to either Parkway or Kirkwall in order to reach growing markets in Ontario, Quebec and the U.S. northeastern region. 

Union Gas offers a unique service in the transportation market, providing access to its Dawn natural gas storage facility. With more than150 billion cubic feet of high-deliverability storage, Dawn is the largest storage facility in Canada. Ten major pipelines interconnect at Dawn, providing a liquid supply and market hub for all shippers. 

“Access to storage facilities is a key element in providing reliability and price stability of natural gas supply,” said Greg Ebel, president, Union Gas. “Dawn not only provides access to storage, but is also a central hub and gateway to eastern Canadian and northeastern U.S. markets. It provides customers with many opportunities to buy and sell natural gas to meet changing market demands. Customers can use the Dawn-Parkway transportation system to transport natural gas from Dawn to a wide array of downstream premium markets.” 

Open Season Contact
The open season runs from Feb. 7-18, 2005. Those wishing to submit binding requests for service should contact:
     Carol Cameron
     Union Gas Limited
     519/436-5258
     ccameron@uniongas.com

Union Gas is an integrated natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company serving about 1.2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities in northern, southwestern and eastern Ontario. The company also provides storage and transportation services to other utilities and energy market participants in Ontario, Quebec and the United States. Union Gas is a Duke Energy company.

Duke Energy Gas Transmission is a North American leader in developing energy infrastructure and connecting major natural gas supply basins to growing markets. The company’s natural gas operations include more than 17,500 miles of transmission pipeline and about 250 billion cubic feet of storage capacity in Canada and the United States. More information on DEGT can be found at:   http://www.duke-energy.com/businesses/companies/degt.asp.

Duke Energy is a diversified energy company with a portfolio of natural gas and electric businesses, both regulated and unregulated, and an affiliated real estate company. Duke Energy supplies, delivers and processes energy for customers in the Americas. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 500 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available on the Internetat: http://www.duke-energy.com.

Contact:	Elizabeth Havelock
Phone:	519/250-2347
24-Hour Phone:	704/382-8333
e-mail:	ehavelock@duke-energy.com