RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For the fourth year in a row, Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN) has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America), which lists companies that lead their industries in managing economic, environmental and social issues.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020923/CHM008LOGO-c )

Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index tracks the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. In selecting the top performers in each business sector, DJSI reviewed companies on several general and industry-specific topics, including corporate governance, environmental policy, climate strategy, employee development and labor practices. For more information on DJSI, please visit www.sustainability-indexes.com .

"To be recognized as a leader in implementing business strategies that grow our company and safeguard the environment is a great accomplishment," said Bill Johnson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Progress Energy. "At Progress Energy, we know that our business success ultimately depends on the respect, confidence and trust we earn, and the way we collaborate with our stakeholders. We are committed to transparency as we work with our communities to secure our energy future."

Earlier this year, Progress Energy issued its first full corporate responsibility report. The report focuses on the company's connections to its customers, communities, the environment, employees and shareholders. The report includes information about the company's efforts to meet the new energy realities in a responsible manner with a balanced strategy that includes energy efficiency, alternative and renewable energy sources, upgrades of existing plants and the building of new power plants when needed.

In addition, the report highlights the company's responsibilities to its communities, including philanthropy, economic development and supplier diversity efforts; the environment, including air and water quality; employees, including diversity, health and safety; and shareholders, with a focus on corporate governance and ethics. The report is available at www.progress-energy.com/environment/report .

Progress Energy, headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 250 energy company with more than 21,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $9 billion in annual revenues. The company will observe its 100th anniversary in 2008. Progress Energy includes two major utilities that serve 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. The company is the 2006 recipient of the Edison Electric Institute's Edison Award, the industry's highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence. The company also is the first utility to receive the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder's Award for customer service. Progress Energy serves two growing areas of the country, and the company is pursuing a balanced strategy to secure an energy future that includes aggressive energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy and a state-of-the-art electricity system. For more information about Progress Energy, visit the company's Web site at www.progress-energy.com .

SOURCE Progress Energy