February 26, 2013 – In an effort to help rebuild New York communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy, National Grid presented residents and three local businesses with grants as part of the company’s Sandy Rebuild Program that will provide $30 million in assistance to natural gas customers in the hardest hit communities. National Grid has supported 16,000 customers so far in their rebuilding efforts, and is working closely with local chambers of commerce, business leaders add local policy makers to help businesses of all sizes rebuild their infrastructure and reconnect to the gas network.

"This is our home where we live and work and National Grid is steadfast in our commitment to support our customers in their restoration efforts following Sandy. This grant program addresses the needs of customers, businesses and communities head-on. It will be a continuing effort so these local companies can focus on restoring jobs and together we can rebuild these communities.” said Ken Daly, President, National Grid New York.

National Grid has already awarded $385,000 to the following businesses:

• Not Just Bagels, Staten Island – Earlier this month, National Grid awarded $35,000 to Not Just Bagels in support of their efforts to rebuild from the destruction of Hurricane Sandy. Not Just Bagels was destroyed by floodwater during Hurricane Sandy. The small family owned business had been serving the Dongan Hills Community for nearly 10 years and had just renovated six months before the hurricane hit. One of Not Just Bagels’ main goals was to reopen so their employees could return to work as quickly as possible

--“I am extremely grateful for the National Grid grant and for the support of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. The National Grid grant was the first and only financial support received by our business. My family’s financial future, the jobs of 12 employees and our commitment to our loyal customers drove our 24/7 rebuilding efforts.” – Diana Petrone, Owner/President, Not Just Bagels.

• The Madelaine Chocolate Company, Queens/Rockaways - In advance of Valentine’s Day, National Grid presented a grant in the amount of $250,000 for The Madelaine Chocolate Company. The Madelaine Chocolate Company has been a staple in the Queens community of the Rockaways for the past 60 years as the purveyors of fine chocolates and confections. The company employs 450 people at its factory in the Rockaways and counts among its customers famous national candy manufacturers and produces renowned chocolates. Madelaine is the largest employer in the area.

--“This grant will help us restore a major machine in one of our kitchens that produces candy shapes and molds. Our goal is to have this kitchen machine fully operational in advance of Halloween. We are so grateful for National Grid’s support in our restoration efforts and we thank them for this investment.” – Jorge Farber, President/CEO, The Madelaine Chocolate Company

• Gargiulo’s Restaurant, Coney Island/Brooklyn - Gargiulo’s restaurant is a landmark restaurant in Coney Island established over 100 years ago and an anchor for the community. In the aftermath of Sandy, Gargiulo’s suffered severe flooding, loss of power and damage to its infrastructure. National Grid provided $100,000 to help the restaurant offset the cost of repairs. Employing over 40 people, Gargiulo’s was determined to reopen in December following the hurricane, and these employees were able to maintain their jobs.

--“The recovery process has been draining on so many levels and we worked very hard to bring the restaurant back to the community. When things were tough it was a relief to know that someone stepped up to the plate and helped out. National Grid was the light at the end of the tunnel for us.”– Nine Russo, Owner, Gargiulo’s Restaurant.

The National Grid Sandy Rebuild Program, launched in November, is designed to address a range of customer needs following the hurricane and is structured into three tiers to supplement funding allocated to communities and businesses by federal and state/city programs, insurance or other emergency sources. National Grid has now provided grants to three NYC boroughs and will be announcing additional grants in Nassau and Suffolk, Long Island.

Tier I provided a $150 credit over the course of October to January to help natural gas customers in the hardest hit communities with equipment inspections. Tier II grants from National Grid provide additional emergency funding to the most vulnerable residential customers in the most impacted areas and aids them in restoring natural gas heat and hot water to their homes.

Tier III of this program offers emergency grants of up to $250,000 to commercial, industrial and multi-family housing customers to help offset the costs of reconstructing buildings and restoring business activity. The Tier III grant program also encourages job retention in heavily impacted communities and promotes the installation of energy efficient equipment and systems.

“These grants symbolize our continued commitment to rebuilding the communities following this devastating storm. After working hard to restore power to millions of our customers, we progress in our ambition to deliver the tools and resources that these residents and businesses need so they can bring normalcy back to these hard-hit areas,” said Jim Madej, Senior Vice President, Chief Customer Officer, National Grid.

Visit www.nationalgridus.com for more information on National Grid’s Sandy Rebuild Program.

About National Grid

National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society - to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the center of the energy system and it ‘joins everything up’.

In the northeast US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles. In Great Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country.

National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. It manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation, providing power to over one million LIPA customers. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern U.S., serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

For more information please visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com

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