June 27, 2000

CONTACT: David Christy

(916) 353-4436

FOLSOM – An El Dorado Hills resident received the Western Area Power Administration’s highest honor at a ceremony today in Folsom.

Western Administrator Mike Hacskaylo presented the Exceptional Service Award to Ed Chang, Sierra Nevada Region Project Manager for Electric Industry Restructuring, at the Folsom-based Sierra Nevada Region office.

“This is the highest level award that I may grant and it is being bestowed as a result of an established record of outstanding achievement. Western will face many challenges in the coming years due to the changing complexion of the power industry. We will rely on the skills of our valued employees like Ed Chang to meet out commitment to provide our customers with reliable, cost-based hydropower,” noted Hasckaylo.

Chang has held the project manager position, which focuses on electric industry restructuring and how it could affect Western, since 1996. He first worked for Western beginning in 1978 as an electrical engineer in Sacramento.

Exceptional Service Award recipients:

· are recognized as experts in their fields.

· consistently go above and beyond what is normally expected on a long-term basis.

· performed additional assignments such as dedicated participation on committees or task forces.

· involve themselves in outside activities that reflect favorably on Western.

· help accomplish the goals of Western’s Strategic Plan.

In addition, each has been with Western for more than five years.

Western Area Power Administration annually markets and transmits more than10,000 megawatts of power from hydroelectric powerplants owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 15 central and western states.

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