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Natural Gas Facts:

It is the nation's fastest-growing energy source, with demand forecast to increase almost 40 percent by 2025.

75 percent of that increase will be for electric power generation.

Right now, more than half -- 57 percent -- of US households are heated with natural gas.

RESOURCES:

The Utility Choice Program: Pennsylvania consumers now have choice in who generates their electricity, supplies their natural gas and provides their local telephone service. Call 1-800-782-1110 for more information.

LIHEAP Heating Assistance: The Pennsylvania Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low income people pay their heating bills through energy assistance grants. People need not have an unpaid bill to receive energy assistance. People can receive this money without being on welfare.

Gift Certificates: Give Gift Of Energy

POSTED: 1:09 pm EST December 21, 2005

UPDATED: 1:27 pm EST December 21, 2005

For people still looking for that perfect last-minute gift, three natural gas utilities that service the Pittsburgh area have a new idea -- natural gas gift certificates.

To purchase gift certificates from Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Equitable Gas Co. or Dominion Peoples, the contact information is as follows:

Dominion Peoples: Friends and relatives are able to make payments on the recipients natural gas bill. Call (800) 754-0111 for more information or visit www.dom.com.

Equitable Gas Co.: The company is offering Holiday Utility Gift certificates -- or HUGs. Call (412) 395-3188 or visit www.eqt.com/. Help family and friends pay their next month's gas bill by purchasing an Equitable HUG certificate starting as low as $20.

Columbia Gas Co.: Fill out a form online at www.columbiagaspamd.com or call (888) 460-4332. The gift certificate is applied toward a friend or loved one's monthly Columbia Gas bill.