Entergy Corp. CEO, Wayne Leonard, Supports `Transco' as New Power Transmission Model.

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 29, 1999--

An inefficient electricity transmission system is costing consumers money in the $200 billion U.S. electricity market, and a "Transco" distribution system would provide far wider access to lowest-cost power, says Entery Corporation CEO Wayne Leonard.

Writing in the latest issue of World Energy magazine (Copies available at WWW.WorldEnergySource.com), Leonard notes that his company has proposed a Transco for its customers, and demonstrates the benefits of the plan as opposed to the current system or an Independent System Operator plan.

"A transmission system that can efficiently link producers and marketers with consumers in the broadest possible market is the key to unlocking untapped value," writes Leonard, whose company is seeking FERC assistance in creating a Transco. However, he also notes that transmission facilities represent an investment of $66 billion by shareholders who deserve the full value of their investment.

Also in the new issue, Gernot Oswald, president of Siemens Solar Industries, writes that while photovoltaic (PV) products for specific applications will continue to grow at 12 to 15 percent a year, sales to the far larger worldwide electricity market will "resemble the unparallelled growth that has been witnessed in semiconductors, computers and information technology."

Gernot admits that the U.S. is struggling to get its "Million Solar Roof" PV program going, due to funding constraints, while Japan is leaping forward with a $200 million investment. However, pricing for home PV applications continues to get closer to competitive levels, Gernot notes, "with a variety of new technologies in development such as Siemens' copper indium diselenide and BP Solarex's amorphous silicon and cadmium telluride."

World Energy is the only publication that covers the global energy industry from the inside. It publishes articles by the CEOs and presidents of major companies, plus energy ministers, regulators and elected officials, all in an unedited format. Copies of previous articles and information about authors is available at http://www.worldenergysource.com.