FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2002
Contact: Kelly M. Ballard
Communications Coordinator
(845) 336-7700 xt. 124
(518) 465-6751

BESICORP-EMPIRE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, LLC TO HOLD
PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE REGARDING
PROPOSED GAS & ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES

KINGSTON, NEW YORK - Besicorp-Empire Development Company, LLC (BEDCO) has announced that it will hold a public open house regarding the proposed interconnections that would provide natural gas to BEDCO's proposed Cogeneration Power Plant and would connect the Power Plant to the electric grid. All interconnections are proposed to be located on existing transmission line routes and would not require any new routes. On behalf of BEDCO, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (Niagara Mohawk) is preparing permit applications for the proposed gas and electrical interconnections under Article VII of the New York State Public Service Law. .

Area homeowners and residents are especially encouraged to attend the open house on December 19, 2002 from 3pm to 8pm at the Rensselaer City Hall. The open house will include multiple stations staffed by the appropriate experts, hourly PowerPoint presentations starting at 3:30pm and experts will be available to answer questions.

For additional information, persons may also visit BEDCO's Rensselaer office located at 11 Second Avenue, which is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. or by appointment, or visit BEDCO's website at www.besicorp.com. A BEDCO representative can also be reached by calling (518) 465-6751.

Besicorp-Empire Development Company, LLC is a joint venture between Besicorp Development, LLC and Empire State Newsprint, LLC. Besicorp Development specializes in the development of environmentally sound independent power projects.