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MALVERN, PA., March 13, 2000—SCT (Nasdaq: SCTC), announced today that The Southern Connecticut Gas Company (Southern), an affiliate of Energy East Corporation (NYSE:NEG), is now operating live with SCT’s e-business solution for the utility industry—Banner Customer Web Access.

“In early 1999, the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control rendered a decision that required Southern to provide its customers with the ability to view their billing and consumption information online,” said Sal A. Ardigliano, Southern’s president and chief operating officer. “With the SCT Banner Customer Information Suite already in place, we expeditiously arranged for the implementation of SCT’s Customer Web Access to transform us into an e-business.”

Ardigliano explained that as a result of SCT’s technology, Southern’s customers can now obtain via the Web information about their bills and view historical data about their gas consumption. Later this year, Southern expects its customers will be able to Handle additional business transactions, such as requesting new service, paying bills electronically and establishing budget billing arrangements.

“Having SCT’s new Internet solution in place opens an entirely new way of relating to our customers,” said John Dobos, group director customer information at Southern. “Eventually, online bill presentment and the pay-by-Web functionality will reduce the number of people calling our customer information center or coming to our business offices to pay their monthly bills. This will have a positive impact on the quality of service we provide our customers, which will have a direct impact on customer satisfaction and maintaining long-term relationships.”

“We are positioned at the exact confluence of deregulation and the e-business phenomenon, and we under-stand that our clients, such as Southern, are at varying levels in the development of their Web-based business strategies,” said Bill Mahoney, president of SCT Global Energy, Utility & Communications Solutions market unit. “Our Web-enabling technologies, coupled with our industry immersion, enable us to meet these evolving needs. Whether it is basic bill presentment and pay-by-Web, or fully integrated relationship management technologies for creating new revenues and capturing relationship-critical customer information, SCT has a solution set to fit any growth strategy.”

About SCT:
SCT is a recognized leader in providing advanced technology solutions designed to meet the global needs of utilities, energy service companies, and communications companies. Its leading-edge software and services enable comprehensive customer aggregation and fulfillment strategies for clients moving aggressively into the age of deregulation.

SCT enables clients to achieve breakthrough results by leveraging their key relationships. Relationship leverage initiatives—from CRM and supply chain management toe-commerce and distance learning—require organizations to use information in fundamentally different ways. SCT’s unique and powerful relationship leverage solutions combine application software and services to Deliver benefits rapidly. SCT operates globally, providing specific solutions for four industry markets: education; energy, utilities & communications; process manufacturing & distribution; and courts and state and local government. SCT has more than 3,600 employees and serves approximately 2,500 clients worldwide. The company is headquartered in Malvern, PA. For more information, browse the SCT Web site at www.sctcorp.com.

About The Southern Connecticut Gas Company:
The Southern Connecticut Gas Company, an affiliate of Energy East Corporation, provides natural gas energy to160,000 customers in 22 Connecticut communities in Fairfield, New Haven, and Middlesex counties.

About Energy East Corporation:
Energy East Corporation (NYSE:NEG) is a super-regional energy services and delivery company in the North-east. Energy East is a leader in promoting competition and is committed to profitably growing its energy infra-structure. Upon completion of its mergers with CMP Group (NYSE:CTP), CTG Resources (NYSE:CTG), and Berkshire Energy Resources (NASD:BERK), and including its energy delivery subsidiaries, New York State Electric and Gas and The Southern Connecticut Gas Company, Energy East will serve 2 million customers (1.4 million electricity and 600,000 natural gas) in upstate New York and New England. For more information about Southern and Energy East visit www.soconngas.com and www.engyeast.com, respectively.

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