<PAGE> 1
[NRG LOGO]
NEWS
RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NRG ENERGY ELECTS SIX NEW MEMBERS TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- (June 20, 2000) -- NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG)
today announced its election of six new members to its board of directors -
bringing the total number of members to 10. As part of the company's initial
public offering and listing on the New York Stock Exchange, NRG added three
independent directors to its board, along with directors from NRG's majority
shareholder, Northern States Power Company (NSP), and New Century Energies
(NCE), NSP's merger partner.
"These directors bring substantial experience to NRG from within and
outside the energy industry and we look forward to the benefit of their insight
and perspective as we continue to grow NRG," said David H. Peterson, NRG Energy
chairman, president and CEO.
The new board of directors members are:
LUELLA G. GOLDBERG - member of the boards of directors of TCF
Financial, Reliastar Financial and Hormel Foods Corporations. From 1985 to 1993,
Goldberg served as chair of the Wellesley College Board of Trustees. She served
as acting president of the college from July 1993 to October 1993 and is now a
Trustee Emerita.
PIERSON M. (SANDY) GRIEVE - member of the boards of directors of The
St. Paul Companies, Inc., Media One Group, Inc., Reliant Energy Minnegasco,
Guide Corporation, Mesaba Aviation and Bank of Naples. Grieve served as chairman
and CEO of Ecolab, Inc. from 1983 to 1995 after moving from his position as
president and CEO of Questor Corp.
WILLIAM A. HODDER - member of the boards of directors of Musicland
Stores Corp., ReliaStar Financial Corp., SUPERVALU, Inc., Wells Fargo & Co, and
the
<PAGE> 2
-2-
University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management (Board of Overseers).
Hodder served as chairman and CEO of Donaldson Company, Inc. from 1994 to 1996
and chairman, president and CEO from 1985 to 1994. Hodder joined Donaldson as
president in 1973.
JAMES J. HOWARD - chairman, president and CEO of NSP. He served as
chairman and CEO from 1987 to 1994. Before joining NSP, Howard was president and
chief operating officer of Ameritech. Howard is also chairman of the Federal
Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
WAYNE H. BRUNETTI - chairman, president and CEO of NCE. Prior to
assuming his current position in March, 2000, Brunetti was vice chairman,
president and chief operating officer of NCE. He was president and chief
operating officer of Public Service Company of Colorado before it merged with
Southwestern Public Service Company to form NCE. He joined Public Service
Company of Colorado as president and chief operating officer in 1994.
RICHARD C. KELLY - executive vice president, financial and support
services, and chief financial officer for NCE. Before that, Kelly was senior
vice president of finance, treasurer and chief financial officer for Public
Service Company of Colorado, which he joined in 1968.
The other members of the NRG Board of Directors are Gary R. Johnson,
vice president and general counsel for NSP; Cynthia L. Lesher, president, NSP
Gas; Edward J. (Jim) McIntyre, vice president and chief financial officer of
NSP; and David H. Peterson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of
NRG Energy as well as chairman of the NRG board.
NRG Energy (www.nrgenergy.com) is a leading global energy company
primarily engaged in the acquisition, development, construction, ownership and
operation of power generation facilities. NRG Energy owns all or a portion of 57
power generation projects with a total generating capacity of more than 23,000
MW; its net ownership interest in these projects exceeds 13,000 MW. NRG Energy's
operations utilize such diverse fuel sources as natural gas, oil, coal and coal
seam methane, biomass, landfill gas, and hydro, as well as refuse derived fuel.
<PAGE> 3
-3-
Certain information included in this news release contains statements
that are forward-looking. Such forward-looking information involves risks and
uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future
and, accordingly, such results may differ from those expressed in any
forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of NRG Energy. For more
information regarding these risks and uncertainties, review NRG Energy's filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
# # #
Contact:
Meredith C. Moore
Media Relations Manager
NRG Energy, Inc.
612.313.8729
e-mail: [email protected]
