Mirant to Increase Operation of Potomac River Generating Station

Generating Capacity Is Needed to Ensure Adequate Level of Electric Reliability in Nation's Capital 


ATLANTA, June 2  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mirant (NYSE:MIR) today announced that directives issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide for immediate increased operations of the 482-MW Potomac River Generating Station located in Alexandria, Virginia.  An Administrative Compliance Order (ACO) entered into with EPA prescribes how the plant can increase production, to near normal levels, as long as the plant meets the National Ambient Air Quality Standards in the greater Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia area.  The directive from DOE requires that Mirant comply with the ACO and increase generation to ensure an adequate level of electric reliability in the Central D.C. area.

Under the ACO, Mirant will operate the plant using day-ahead forecasted weather data rather than worst-case five-year estimates contained in computer models.  In addition, Mirant will install equipment that monitors sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the vicinity of the plant.

"The Department of Energy understands just how critical the Potomac River Generating Station is to electric reliability in the Nation's Capital area," said Bob Driscoll, Chief Executive Officer, Mirant Mid-Atlantic.  "The Potomac River Generating Station is an essential, low-cost and reliable source of electricity to the region."

The DOE directive takes into account concerns about air quality in the greater Washington, D.C. region, including Northern Virginia.  "The important thing is that this plant be allowed to operate to serve the electricity needs for the residents in this region," remarked Driscoll. "We will do so while meeting our responsibilities for environmental stewardship."

The Potomac River Generating Station provides electricity for dozens of federal agencies and facilities, and much of downtown D.C.  It is also tied directly to the Blue Plains Waste Water Treatment Plant and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.

The DOE directive and the ACO will be available on the Mirant web site at http://potomac.mirant.com/. Members of the public can also sign up for periodic updates about Mirant's Potomac River Generating Station by sending an e-mail to: .

Mirant is a competitive energy company that produces and sells electricity in the United States, the Caribbean, and the Philippines. Mirant owns or leases approximately 17,300 megawatts of electric generating capacity globally. The company operates an asset management and energy marketing organization from its headquarters in Atlanta. For more information, please visit http://www.mirant.com/.

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