Huntington Partners With Columbia Gas of Ohio to Help Ohioans Save Money This Winter

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With winter fully upon us, Huntington (Nasdaq: HBAN; www.huntington.com) is partnering with Columbia Gas of Ohio (NYSE: NI www.columbiagasohio.com) to help Ohioans save money on their energy bills.  Together, the companies will offer Columbia Gas of Ohio's residential gas-heating customers low-cost home energy audits and rebates of up to 70% off qualified home energy improvements, through Home Performance Solutions, and new low-rate financing options that will provide savings for years to come.

As part of the exclusive offering which runs through December 31, 2011, Columbia Gas of Ohio's residential gas-heating customers can receive a Home Energy Audit for $50 ($20 for income-eligible customers).  Columbia Gas will reimburse the fee and provide generous rebates of up to 70% off when any of the qualified energy-efficient improvements are installed, while funding is available.  

And now with Huntington's two new financing programs, eligible customers have additional resources at their disposal to help take advantage of these valuable, cost-saving programs.  

"At Huntington, we're committed to helping our customers save money, which is particularly important during the colder winter months," said Jim Kunk, central Ohio president for Huntington.  "This partnership gives more people an opportunity to save on their energy bills.  And with these two new programs, consumers will now be able to pay for recommended improvements using Huntington's affordable financing options."

In order to receive the Columbia Gas rebates, qualified energy improvements must be completed by a pre-qualified contractor participating in the Columbia Gas of Ohio Home Performance Solutions program.  The program is available in all 61 Ohio counties Columbia Gas serves, including the Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo areas.

"Home Performance Solutions gives our customers with above-average natural gas use the opportunity to reduce their energy consumption by up to 30%, making their homes more affordable to heat and more comfortable," said Columbia Gas of Ohio President, Jack Partridge. "For a limited time, the program offers significant rebates – worth hundreds of dollars – for the installation of qualified energy efficiency improvements. With the rebates, and Huntington's low-interest financing, improvements can quickly pay for themselves in lower monthly energy bills."

Home Energy Audits are available in late spring/early summer for the Columbus area. Due to high consumer demand for audits to date, customers are encouraged to call now to secure a reservation.

Program Details:

• To get started, Columbia Gas of Ohio customers can call 1-877-644-6674 or go to ColumbiaGasOhio.com/HPS to schedule a Home Energy Audit.

• To find out more about Huntington's low interest financing options, consumers can visit Huntington.com/energyfix, visit their nearest Huntington branch or call 1-877-480-3181.

About Huntington

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $54 billion regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1866, Huntington provides a full range of financial services through its affiliated companies, including checking, loans, savings, insurance and investment services. It has more than 620 branches and also offers retail and commercial financial services online at Huntington.com; through its telephone bank; and through its network of over 1,350 ATMs. Huntington's Auto Finance and Dealer Services group offers automobile loans to consumers and commercial loans to automobile dealers within its six-state banking franchise area, as well as selected New England states.  

About Columbia Gas

Columbia Gas of Ohio, with headquarters in Columbus, is one of the nine energy distribution companies of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI). With approximately 1.4 million customers in 61 of Ohio's 88 counties, it is the largest natural gas utility in the state. NiSource distribution companies serve approximately 3.8 million gas and electric customers primarily in seven states. More information about Columbia Gas of Ohio is available at: ColumbiaGasOhio.com.

SOURCE Huntington