PROVIDENCE, R.I. (February 17, 2026) - As Rhode Island experiences its coldest winter in 30 years, Rhode Island Energy (RIE) is continuing to deliver safe and reliable service to customers across the state.

Over the past few months, Rhode Island has faced severe cold and unprecedented natural gas demand. From January 23 through February 9, 2026, Rhode Islanders experienced the longest stretch of severe cold since 2015. Compared to recent average temperatures for the same time period, this winter was over 40 percent colder than average.

During this extreme cold snap, RIE experienced three of the highest natural gas demand days in the company's history, with demand from January 23 through February 9, 2026, exceeding 5.3 million dekatherms. For reference, under extreme cold conditions, a typical household uses approximately 10-15 therms of natural gas per day. Additionally, natural gas demand over this 18-day period was approximately 20 percent higher than the typical natural gas demand RIE experiences over the entire combined summer months of June through August.

"This winter has tested our natural gas system, and our teams have risen to the challenge," said Michele Leone, Vice President of Gas Operations for RIE. "Even as Rhode Island faced extreme cold temperatures and record-setting natural gas demand, our dedicated team continued to deliver the safe, reliable service our customers count on. Meeting this high demand for natural gas underscores the strength of our system, the importance of continued investment, and our unwavering commitment to keeping Rhode Islanders warm during extreme weather."

With another 4 weeks of winter ahead, RI may experience additional snow and cold weather. RIE is reminding customers to take simple steps to stay safe. Snow and ice buildup around natural gas meters, regulators, and appliance vents can create hazardous conditions and disrupt the safe operation of gas equipment.

What Customers Should Do

1. Keep appliance vents and chimneys clear.
Blocked exhaust or air-intake vents can cause carbon monoxide to build up indoors. Make sure vents are free of snow and ice, and ensure carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.

2. Check meters and regulators.
Meters, pressure regulators, and other outdoor gas equipment have small vents that must stay unobstructed. Blockages can create unsafe conditions.

3. Remove snow carefully.
Use your hands or a broom-not a shovel-to gently clear snow from meters, regulators, and exposed piping. Shovels can easily cause damage to equipment.

4. Leave immediately if you smell gas.
If you detect a gas odor, evacuate right away with everyone in the building, including pets. Do not use anything that could create a spark-such as matches, lighters, flashlights, garage door openers, or e-cigarettes. From a safe location, call 911 or RIE's gas emergency line at 800-640-1595.

Additionally, RIE understands that during this period of extreme cold and increased energy usage, affordability is top of mind. Customers are encouraged to explore RIEnergy.com/toolkit and take advantage of the various programs and services to help save energy, manage bills, and access financial assistance.

RIE does not profit from the volume of natural gas commodities it purchases on behalf of its customers.

About Rhode Island Energy

Rhode Island Energy provides essential energy services to over 770,000 customers across Rhode Island through the delivery of electricity and natural gas. Our team of more than 1,300 employees is dedicated to helping Rhode Island customers and communities thrive, while supporting the transition to a cleaner energy future. Rhode Island Energy is part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies addressing energy challenges head-on by building smarter, more resilient, and more dynamic power grids and advancing sustainable energy solutions.

For more information visit www.RIEnergy.com and stay connected on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.