Electric Industry Veteran to Lead PPL Nuclear Development Effort

ALLENTOWN, Pa., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PPL Corporation NYSE: PPL announced Wednesday (2/27) that Victor N. Lopiano, an electric industry veteran with an extensive background in large construction projects and nuclear technology, will become president of its nuclear development company.

"A key element in PPL's strategy to grow its generating portfolio is our initiative to develop options for the expansion of our nuclear operations. We are very fortunate to have someone of Vic's experience join our nuclear development effort at this very important time," said James H. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive officer of PPL.

Lopiano will become president of PPL Nuclear Development, LLC, which is pursuing a construction and operating license for a potential new nuclear unit in Northeast Pennsylvania, near PPL's Susquehanna nuclear plant.

In his new position, Lopiano will replace Bryce L. Shriver, who has served as president of PPL Nuclear Development since it was formed in 2007 and plans to retire on June 1. To ensure a smooth transition, Miller said Lopiano will join PPL in March, becoming president of PPL Nuclear Development after Shriver's retirement.

The nuclear development company also is exploring the possibility of PPL participation in other new nuclear power projects in the United States, the acquisition of existing nuclear plants and a range of joint venture possibilities.

PPL announced in December that PPL Nuclear Development plans to ask the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to approve a combined license to construct and operate a new generating unit near the Susquehanna plant.

While PPL has not yet decided to move forward with construction, it plans to file a license application by the end of 2008. This time frame will help preserve the potential for federal production tax credits and federal loan guarantees.

Miller said a decision on whether to proceed with construction of a new nuclear unit will depend on a number of factors, including nuclear loan guarantees and a joint venture arrangement.

"Nuclear power plants will be an important part of the U.S. electricity generation mix in the future, maybe even more so than they are today. Our PPL Nuclear Development initiative is another important element of our commitment to a systematic identification of growth opportunities that add value for our shareowners," Miller said.

"Having worked with Vic on a number of projects over the past 20 years, I know he will be a great addition to PPL's team. We also are very pleased that Bryce Shriver has agreed to stay on for a period to help in the transition," said Miller.

Lopiano currently is vice president, American Centrifuge, for USEC Inc., a leading supplier of enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants. In that position, he is responsible for deployment and commercial operations of USEC's next-generation uranium enrichment technology, the American Centrifuge, including manufacturing of centrifuge machines by USEC's suppliers.

He joined USEC in 1996 and was assigned to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, where he was the senior USEC manager responsible for the development of advanced laser-based enrichment technology. Beginning in 2000, he served as director, projects, in USEC's corporate development department.

Prior to joining USEC, he held senior management positions with various business units of ABB, Inc. over an 11-year period including senior vice president, operations, ABB Environmental Systems; vice president, project services, ABB Power Plant Systems; and vice president, engineering and facility operations, ABB Resource Recovery Systems.

Lopiano previously worked for Burns and Roe, where he held positions of increasing responsibility in the engineering, procurement and construction of several power plants and cogeneration facilities.

He earned a bachelor of engineering in electrical engineering from Manhattan College and a master of engineering in nuclear engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Shriver came to PPL in 1999 as general manager of the Susquehanna nuclear plant. He was named vice president of operations in 2000 and became the company's chief nuclear officer in 2002. He has served as president of PPL Generation since 2004. He came to PPL from the Tennessee Valley Authority's Browns Ferry nuclear plant in Alabama.

PPL's two existing nuclear units, totaling 2,360 megawatts, are owned jointly by PPL Susquehanna, LLC (90 percent) and Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc. (10 percent), and are operated by PPL Susquehanna.

PPL Corporation, headquartered in Allentown, Pa., controls more than 11,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets and delivers electricity to about 4 million customers in Pennsylvania and the United Kingdom.