AKRON, Ohio & MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 2001-- To dispel some confusion in the market, FirstEnergy (NYSE:FE) and NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG) today clarified the terms of the transitional power purchase agreement both parties announced last week. The long-term power contract is in place through 2005 and is part of NRG's planned acquisition of four primarily coal-fueled, generating plants in Ohio, from FirstEnergy subsidiaries.

The agreement covers the equivalent of more than 90 percent of the plants' 2,535 MW output capacity. The combined components of baseload energy, dispatchable energy, and capacity payments based on contract terms, yield an initial price in the mid-thirties, which is consistent with current market conditions.

FirstEnergy is a registered public utility holding company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its various subsidiaries produce more than $12 billion in annual revenues and sell 124 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. Other FirstEnergy affiliates are involved in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas, marketing of natural gas, and energy-related services. FirstEnergy's electric utility operating companies - Ohio Edison, The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison in Ohio; Metropolitan Edison, Pennsylvania Electric and Pennsylvania Power in Pennsylvania; and Jersey Central Power & Light - comprise the nation's fourth largest investor-owned electric system, based on serving 4.3 million customers within a 32,100-square-mile area that stretches from the Ohio-Indiana border to the New Jersey shore.

NRG is a leading global energy company engaged primarily in the development, construction, acquisition, ownership and operation of power generation facilities. NRG owns 24,352 MW of generating assets in operation and under construction. The company'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.

Certain statements included in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements above include, but are not limited to, expected earnings and future growth and financial performance. Although NRG and FirstEnergy believe thattheir expectations are reasonable, they can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. Factors that could cause NRG's and FirstEnergy's actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements above include, among others, changes in government regulation or the implementation of government regulations, which could result in NRG's and FirstEnergy's failure to obtain regulatory approvals required to close project acquisitions, and factors affecting the availability or cost of capital, such as changes in interest rates and market perceptions of the independent power generation industry, NRG or any of its subsidiaries.

NRG and FirstEnergy undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors that could cause NRG's and FirstEnergy's actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be construed as exhaustive. For more information regarding risks and uncertainties that may affect NRG's and FirstEnergy's future results, review their filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

NRG Energy, Inc. Media Relations
Trudy Marshall, 612/373-5410

or

FirstEnergy Media Information
Ralph DiNicola, 330/384-5939