For the third time in four years, PPL Electric Utilities has ranked first among electric companies in the East in a study of residential customer satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates.

In fact, in the J.D. Power and Associates 2002 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, PPL Electric Utilities had the top score among 15 eastern companies in all five component measures of satisfaction: image, power quality and reliability, price and value, billing and payment, and customer service.

"These results are a reflection of the confidence our customers place in us — confidence our employees earn every day with their dedication and hard work," said Michael E. Bray, president of PPL Electric Utilities.

With a score of 116, PPL Electric Utilities topped all but one Midwest utility among the 74 included in the J.D. Power and Associates’ study.

In the East — which includes companies in New England, New York and the Mid Atlantic region — the closest rivals scored 10 points lower than PPL Electric Utilities.

"Satisfying customers is important to our long-term business success," Bray said. "It’s an objective our employees have every day, on every job."

PPL Electric Utilities continually seeks to improve the quality of its service. It uses the results of independent research, such as the J.D. Power and Associates’ study, as well as research it conducts on its own, interviewing a random selection of customers at least four times a year to assess their wants and expectations.

This has enabled PPL Electric Utilities to rank high consistently in studies of customer service and satisfaction.

In a recent study released by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, PPL Electric Utilities had the highest overall percentage of satisfied customers among electric distribution companies in Pennsylvania.

According to J.D. Power and Associates, utilities with high levels of customer satisfaction tend to be strong performers across the board.

The study indicates that well-managed companies excel in most aspects of their business and are excellent at communicating their successes.

The 2002 study is based on telephone interviews with 23,000 residential customers of the 74 largest electric utilities in the continental United States. The interviews were done in March, April and May 2002.

PPL Electric Utilities, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation, serves 1.3 million customers in 29 counties of eastern and central Pennsylvania.

Customer satisfaction honors are nothing new to PPL Corporation companies. Earlier this year, PPL subsidiary WPD — an electric distribution company in the United Kingdom that is jointly owned by PPL and Mirant Corp. — earned the Charter Mark Award for the fourth time. The Charter Mark is the British government’s highest seal of approval for customer service excellence.