MINNEAPOLIS, February 4, 2000 NRG Energy, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Northern States Power Company (NYSE:NSP), announced today that it had executed a memorandum of understanding with GE Power Systems, a division of General Electric Company, to purchase 11 gas turbine generators and five steam turbine generators. The purchases will take place over the next five years and are valued at approximately $500 million with an option to purchase additional units.

The 16 turbines have an equivalent generation output of 3,000 megawatts (MW), which represents enough electricity to supply approximately 1.5 million homes.

NRG Energy intends to install the turbines at its existing North American plant sites. Currently, NRG Energy has interests in 17 major generating facilities with net equity ownership of approximately 8,600 MW located primarily in the Northeast and the Southwest. The purchase of an additional 1,708 MW of generation from Cajun Electric Power Cooperative in Louisiana is scheduled to be completed by the end of the first quarter 2000, and later this year NRG Energy is scheduled to complete the acquisition of 1,875 MW of generation located in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey from Conectiv.

“This is truly a system-wide purchase and one that will allow us to significantly expand generating capacity or upgrade units at our facilities to capture the full value of their existing infrastructure,” said David H. Peterson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of NRG Energy. “These turbines will deliver the cleanest environmental performance and among the highest operating efficiencies of any commercially available technology. We are extremely pleased to have reached this agreement and look forward to a close working relationship with GE Power Systems as we begin the installation process.”

Peterson said the purchase is consistent with NRG Energy’s strategy of acquiring facilities that offer an existing earnings base and provide opportunities for future upgrades and expansion. NRG Energy is in the process of finalizing plans to deploy the turbines.

"We look forward to contributing to NRG's success by fulfilling this order with the most environmentally friendly advanced technology gas turbines available today," said Robert L. Nardelli, president and CEO of GE Power Systems. "I am confident that NRG and their customers will benefit from our experience and the industry-leading reliability of our equipment."

NRG Energy (www.nrgenergy.com) is the world's seventh largest independent power producer, specializing in the development, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of low-cost, environmentally responsible power plants and associated power-marketing activities. With leading generation positions in selected markets in the United States, Europe, the Pacific Rim, and Latin America, NRG Energy is involved in projects representing more than 28,000 MW of generating capacity, including nearly 11,000 MW of fully owned capacity. NRG Energy'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 and geothermal energy.

GE Power Systems (www.gepower.com) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation technology, energy services and energy management systems. The $10 billion GE business serves customers through a global network of offices and service centers, and has the largest installed base of power generation equipment in the energy industry. GE provides turnkey equipment, service and management solutions across several industries, including utilities, independent power producers and industrial/commercial customers.

Certain information included in this press release contains statements that are forward-looking. Such forward-looking information involves risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future and, accordingly, such results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of NRG Energy. For more information regarding these risks and uncertainties, review NRG Energy’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact: Frank Rapley, NRG Energy, Inc., 612/373-8892
Jeff Ignaszak, GE Power Systems, 518/385-9713 (office) 888/991-7683 (pager)