SSE gas boiler business

Scottish & Southern Energy PLC
07 December 2006


    10,000 CUSTOMERS FOR SSE'S NEW DOMESTIC GAS BOILER MAINTENANCE BUSINESS


The new domestic gas boiler maintenance, servicing and installations business
launched by Scottish and Southern Energy plc ('SSE') has achieved 10,000
customers in the six months since its launch in June 2006.

Marketed under the name of 'shield', the business offer features a full
comprehensive annual service, full breakdown and emergency cover and a 24-hour,
365-day manned customer helpline. The product covers a customer's entire gas
central heating system, including the boiler, pipe work, radiators, cylinders
and tanks.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, around 20 people are killed in the
UK every year due to poorly or inadequately serviced gas boilers. Despite this,
fewer than one in three of the 14 million owner-occupied homes in the UK has a
gas boiler maintenance contract.

The launch of the 'shield' business has resulted in over 120 new jobs being
created, with the establishment of a dedicated 24-hour call centre, teams of
Corgi-registered gas engineers and a sales force. It is expected that this
number will grow to over 200 by the end of 2007 as the business expands
throughout the UK - it currently reaches around seven million homes in 22
postcode regions.

Its development is part of SSE's wider strategy to offer customers a broader
range of energy services 'beyond the meter.'

Ian Marchant, Chief Executive of SSE, said:

'Our aim in launching 'shield' was to offer a safe and high quality service that
will not only attract customers with existing policies, but also reach the large
part of the market that does not yet have any form of boiler servicing in place.
I am delighted with the early progress of the business and the achievement of
the first 10,000 customers is well ahead of schedule.'


Enquiries to:

Scottish and Southern Energy plc
Alan Young - Director of Corporate Communications        + 44 (0)870 900 0410
Denis Kerby - Investor and Media Relations Manager       + 44 (0)870 900 0410


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange