Blue Ridge Energies Announces Sale of Gasoline Division 
Energies' Focus Now Solely on Propane an Heating Fuels

For Immediate Release 

Contact: Renee R. Whitener, Director of Corporate Communications, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, Phone: (828) 758-2383, Pager 800-471-1323, or E-mail:  Renee Whitener

Lenoir, North Carolina (April 8, 2005) – Blue Ridge Energies, a propane and heating fuels provider with offices in Lenoir, Hickory, Boone and West Jefferson, announces the sale of its gasoline division effective April 1.

Chief Operating Officer Glenda Christian said the sale is a positive move that enables Blue Ridge Energies to focus on its core business of providing propane and heating fuel to residential, business, and commercial customers in northwest North Carolina.

“Our propane and heating fuels business has grown tremendously since Blue Ridge Energies was formed in 1998,” Christian said. “Our showrooms in Lenoir, Boone and West Jefferson offering a variety of gas fireplaces, logs, and more have also grown. We want to focus our efforts in these areas as we continue our commitment to providing extraordinary customer service to those we serve in Caldwell, Catawba, Watauga, Ashe, and Avery counties.”

Christian said the move comes after an opportunity arose to sell the gasoline division to Cary Oil Company, which had been managing the accounting functions for the gasoline division during the past 15 months. The sale includes existing contracts between Blue Ridge Energies and the convenience stores that purchased the wholesale gasoline it distributed. These include several stores marked with the Blue Ridge Energies name, which will change to other names over the next few months. Christian added that she anticipates a very smooth transition for the convenience stores formerly served by Blue Ridge Energies.

Cary Oil serves hundreds of convenience store locations with gasoline and diesel fuel in the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and is highly regarded in the motor fuels industry.

Blue Ridge Energies, LLC, was formed in 1998 as a result of the purchase of the former Beall Oil and Propane Company by Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation and three other partners. Blue Ridge Energies is now a separate, wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Ridge Electric, which is a member-owned electric cooperative serving Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, and Alleghany counties as well as parts of Avery and Alexander counties.


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