Allegheny Energy Chief Operating Officer Jay S. Pifer To Retire.

Business Editors

HAGERSTOWN, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 20, 2003

Allegheny Energy, Inc. (NYSE: AYE) announced today that Jay S. Pifer, its Chief Operating Officer (COO), will retire, effective December 1, 2003. Mr. Pifer, 66, has been with the Company for more than 40 years and has held several executive positions throughout his career.

Mr. Pifer was appointed Interim President and CEO of Allegheny in April and was named COO in June.

"The Board of Directors asked me to stay beyond my normal retirement date to serve as Interim President and CEO and then, again, to serve as COO during the transition to a new leadership team for Allegheny," Mr. Pifer said. "I have truly enjoyed my many years with the Company and working with the many wonderful employees at Allegheny who are so committed to excellence, to teamwork and safety, and to customer service."

In addition to his service to Allegheny, Mr. Pifer has also been involved with many civic and community activities, including currently serving on the Advisory Board of the Northeast Region of the Boy Scouts of America. He is also a board member, past President, and recipient of the Silver Beaver Award, Westmoreland-Fayette Council of the Boy Scouts of America; Director, Westmoreland Trust; Director and past Chairman, Pennsylvania Electric Association; and Director, Ohio Electric Utilities Institute.

Mr. Pifer is a member of the Allegheny Conference, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce. He has also served on the boards of numerous organizations, including Waynesburg College, the Penn State University Advisory Board, the University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg, the United Way, the Business Roundtables of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and the West Virginia Education Alliance.

Allegheny Energy is an integrated energy company with a portfolio of businesses, including Allegheny Energy Supply, which owns and operates electric generating facilities and supplies energy and energy-related commodities; and Allegheny Power, which delivers low-cost, reliable electric and natural gas service to about four million people in Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and Ohio. More information about the Company is available at www.alleghenyenergy.com.

Certain statements contained herein constitute forward-looking statements with respect to Allegheny Energy, Inc. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Allegheny Energy to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors may affect Allegheny Energy's operations, markets, products, services, prices, capital expenditures, development activities, and future plans. Such factors include, among others, the following: changes in general, economic, and business conditions; changes in the price of electricity and natural gas; changes in industry capacity; changes in technology; changes in financial and capital market conditions; changes in political and social conditions, deregulation activities and the movement toward competition in the states served by our operations; the effect of regulatory and legislative decisions; regulatory approvals and conditions; the loss of any significant customers; litigation; and changes in business strategy or business plans.