TransCanada Contributes More Than $355,000 to Community Partners in New York City

NEW YORK, NEW YORK--(Marketwire - July 6, 2012) - TransCanada (TSX:TRP) (NYSE:TRP) announced today that it has contributed more than $355,000 this year to local non-profit organizations in New York City. TransCanada is committed to strengthening relationships with key stakeholders and building healthy and vibrant communities where we operate.

William Taylor, TransCanada's senior vice-president of eastern power, says, "We are excited to stand beside and support our community partner organizations. When we became aware of the obvious needs in the communities where we operate, we felt compelled to help. We are happy to say we have chosen to support non-profit partners that all share our values of integrity, collaboration, responsibility and innovation."

Many of our non-profit community partners share TransCanada's belief that we all benefit from investing in our youth as they are the future leaders of our schools, businesses and communities.

- TransCanada's $175,000 contribution to the Children's Aid Society will be used to fund the opening of the Children's Aid Society Community Charter School in the Bronx this August. The public elementary charter school is designed to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children in the South Bronx community. Part of the funds will also be used by the Society to provide a free weekend recreational program for deaf youth, as well as support the Society's other programs. TransCanada has already committed to contributing an additional $150,000 to the Society in 2013.

- For many children, summer camp is a normal rite of passage - except for families with financial limitations. With TransCanada's support, Island Kids will be able to offer additional scholarships to families in need, so that more children can join in the summer camp fun.

- Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn will use TransCanada's contribution to expand its dance school and educational arts programming in schools.

- Meanwhile, one of Fresh Youth Initiatives' goals is to recruit and enroll 250 young adults in its youth development program - youth who will provide over 10,000 hours of service to the community. Addressing pressing community needs such as poverty and hunger, the program helps youth develop the life and leadership skills needed to become successful adults.

- TransCanada's various community partners are diverse in their missions and extend their services to the wider society. Eviction Intervention Services' mission is to prevent homelessness by providing free legal, education and tenant advocacy services.

- The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts offers local art programming that will serve the entire community and make this unique art more accessible.

- Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House offers comprehensive social services to low income community members.

- Finally, Friends of Queensbridge Park provides neighborhood families with opportunities to enjoy family-friendly entertainment, increase physical activity and strengthen community interaction.

Taylor says, "Through TransCanada's support of these community organizations in New York City, together we can build long-term community capacity, improve lives and create more opportunities for development of our youth."

Building strong community partnerships is part of TransCanada's tradition. As TransCanada provides stable and reliable energy to the New York City region through our generating station in Queens, we are proud of the partnerships we have formed in the communities where we operate.

With more than 60 years experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas and oil pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada operates a network of natural gas pipelines that extends more than 68,500 kilometres (42,500 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is one of the continent's largest providers of gas storage and related services with approximately 380 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A growing independent power producer, TransCanada owns or has interests in over 10,900 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is developing one of North America's largest oil delivery systems. TransCanada's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. For more information visit: www.transcanada.com or check us out on Twitter @TransCanada.