NiSource Charitable Giving Topped $6.8 Million in 2010.

Record level of support driven by tough economic conditions

MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --NiSource (NYSE: NI) companies provided a record level of more than $6.8 million in charitable donations to local, regional and national organizations in 2010.

"NiSource's local operating companies and employees have long been a strong, positive force in the communities where we operate and provide service," NiSource President & CEO Robert C. Skaggs Jr. noted. "During good times and bad, we have a shared interest in the future strength and stability of the communities we serve.

"For 2010, we provided the highest level of support in our company's history - driven in large part by the economic challenges facing our customers and communities. That unprecedented level of support is a testament to the unique bond and common interests our businesses share with the community."

In the face of tough economic conditions during 2010, NiSource launched its Supporting Those in Need campaign, which directed more than $3.5 million to human service organizations across its operating areas. In addition to this focused campaign, NiSource operating companies and the NiSource Charitable Foundation - in close partnership with communities across more than a dozen states - provided an additional $3.3 million in funding to various non-profit organizations and causes.

"Our more than 7,500 employees also play a critical role in our philanthropic initiatives, donating significant time and money to causes and organizations they believe in," Skaggs said. "And our Dollars for Doers program supports these employee efforts by giving up to $500 per employee to their organization in return for volunteer time."

Skaggs noted that NiSource expects to continue its strong levels of corporate giving via a continuation of its Supporting Those in Need campaign and other philanthropic initiatives during 2011.

About NiSource

NiSource Inc., based in Merrillville, Ind., is a Fortune 500 company engaged in natural gas transmission, storage and distribution, as well as electric generation, transmission and distribution. NiSource operating companies deliver energy to 3.8 million customers located within the high-demand energy corridor stretching from the Gulf Coast through the Midwest to New England. Information about NiSource and its subsidiaries is available via the Internet at www.nisource.com. NI-F

SOURCE NiSource Inc.