ADVISORY/ Energy Industry Leaders Gather in Boston for Update On Latest Technology; LODESTAR Corporation Annual Users' Conference Draws Top Executives At Critical Period for Market.

Business Editors

ADVISORY...for Monday - Thursday (September 10 - 13)

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 10, 2001

Facing new challenges as the energy industry absorbs dramatic structural and financial changes, dozens of energy industry leaders from around the country gather this week in Boston to hear about new developments in technology relating to the energy markets.

From September 10-13, energy company and government leaders from around the world will convene at the annual LODESTAR Corporation Users' Conference, to hear speakers explain the challenges and opportunities resulting from the deregulated electricity market in several states, as well as the information technology solutions that they are implementing to meet those challenges.

Among the distinguished guests addressing the conference are Tim Byers, chief information officer of Shell Energy Services; Ianne McCrea, senior vice president and chief information officer of Reliant Energy HL&P; Rehan Syed, managing director of S.G. Cowan, Tom Berry, vice chairman of NERC, and Craig Goodman, president of the National Energy Marketers' Association.

"The energy business is at a critical stage in its evolution right now," said Chris Hamilos, chairman and CEO of LODESTAR. "With the restructuring of the electricity markets, pricing and supply challenges, and mergers within the industry. LODESTAR'S customers and partners will have a unique opportunity to share perspectives on what lies ahead for our industry."

The LODESTAR Users' Conference opens today and runs through September 13.

For more information about conference, please contact Ann Hall, LODESTAR Corporation, at 978-573-4542, or [e-mail]; or Jim McManus of Miller/Shandwick Technologies, at 617-351-4184, or [e-mail].

About LODESTAR

LODESTAR provides leading e-Business software solutions to enable customer choice in the new energy economy. With more than 100 clients in North America, LODESTAR is a well-known and reliable provider of world-class software solutions. Energy providers use LODESTAR software for pricing, billing, load profiling and settlement, financial management and transaction management. The LODESTAR(R) Customer Choice Suite(TM) (CCS(TM)) provides the world's most complete, flexible, scalable and reliable Web-based software to competitive retail companies, regulated distribution companies, independent system operators, and transmission and generation companies. LODESTAR customers include Shell Energy, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), TXU, Allegheny Power, BC Hydro and Duke Power.

LODESTAR Corporation's headquarters is at Two Corporation Way in Peabody, MA, 01960 USA. For more information, visit www.lodestarcorp.com or call [phone].