ATO Atmos Energy Corp

Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) today was among 55 companies nationwide recognized by American Gas Association (AGA) as industry leaders in accident prevention in 2006. The accident prevention award was presented to Atmos Energy at the AGA�s Operations & Engineering Conference held in Grapevine, Texas this week. �Receiving the accident prevention award is a significant achievement,� said Kim Cocklin, senior vice president of utility operations. �Our employees go the extra mile when it comes to safety for our customers, employees and the public, and this award confirms it.� According to Cocklin, Atmos Energy maintained its rate of injuries and illnesses well below the industry average for a company of its size by adhering to a well-rounded, accident-prevention approach which includes: Frequent communications by management at all levels to employees about working safely A value system that includes safety and reliability as the company�s top values Employee accountability to help one another work safely Safety team leaders in each community who communicate safety every month to employees Safety managers and safety specialists that support operations managers, supervisors and safety team leaders An Enterprise Safety Committee that monitors regulations, develops safety procedures/processes to help reduce injuries and acts as a steering committee to ensure Atmos Energy�s safety vision is maintained A monthly safety scorecard that shows injuries and vehicles accidents by type and compares Atmos Energy to other natural gas companies �Leaders in Safety� quarterly award program that recognizes divisions that meet or exceed AGA rates Performance measured on individual commitment to safety Routine patrolling, inspecting, testing, repairing and replacing distribution lines Promoting the �One-Call� number and encouraging contractors and the public to call for line locates before digging Meeting or exceeding all federal and state requirements for safe operations Also at the conference, an Atmos Energy employee, Marc Chapman, received the Distribution Achievement Award for his innovative use of vacuum technology that enhances safety for the public by extracting natural gas vapors from the soil. The device, known as the �VEU� or �Vacuum Extraction Unit,� reduces the time that Atmos Energy crews spend in finding a leak and allows them to get to the repairs quicker. About Atmos Energy Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, is the country�s largest natural gas-only distributor, serving about 3.2 million gas utility customers. Atmos Energy�s utility operations serve more than 1,500 communities in 12 states from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the East to the Rocky Mountains in the West. Atmos Energy�s nonutility operations, organized under Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc., operate in 22 states. They provide natural gas marketing and procurement services to industrial, commercial and municipal customers and manage company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas. Atmos Energy is a Fortune 500 company. For more information, visit www.atmosenergy.com.