10th Annual Platts Global Energy Awards Salute Winners in Three New Performance Categories

Sustainability Serves as Platform for Awards Ceremony and 2nd Platts Lecture

NEW YORK, Dec. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — As part of the prestigious Global Energy Awards presented here last night, Platts announced winners in three newly-created or updated performance award categories: Peabody Energy for “Strategic Energy Investment of the Year,” Orion Energy Systems for “Sustainable Technology Innovation of the Year” and Wal-Mart Stores for “Sustainable Energy Initiative of the Year.”

“Our finalists and winners for 2008 are contributors at the very highest level to the energy industry,” said Platts President Victoria Chu Pao.

All three of the awards went to North American companies. The “Strategic Energy Investment of the Year” award was bestowed to Peabody for its metamorphosis from a domestic coal producer to global coal powerhouse, as well as its on-going efforts to commercialize near-zero emissions technologies. The “Sustainable Technology Innovation of the Year” award was presented to Orion Energy Systems for its efficiency solutions that enable power consumption reduction for lighting by as much as 80%.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (the largest private consumer of electricity in the United States) received the “Sustainable Energy Initiative of the Year” honor for its efficiency plan — designed in short span to cut energy use by 25%, derive 100% of its electricity supply from renewable energy, and cut greenhouse gases by 20%.

In other news, international energy giant Royal Dutch Shell, the Netherlands-based oil company, won the esteemed award for “Energy Company of the Year” last night and, for the first time ever, the independent panel of judges chose two industry leaders as “CEOs of the Year”: Prasert Bunsumpun of Thailand’s PTT, and Gerard Mestrallet, head of France’s GDF Suez.

This year’s “Power Company of the Year” recognition went to CEZ, a.s. for its rapid growth and its steady development of international capabilities, which have propelled the group into the top ten of European utilities. EMFESZ is the first Hungarian natural gas and energy trading and service selected by the judges panel for the Platts “Rising Star Award.” EMFESZ demonstrated its entrepreneurial spirit amply, coming from almost nowhere to multiply its gas sales by 30 and by maintaining a strong commitment to customer service, prudent risk management and a commitment to environmental responsibility.

Platts, a leading global energy and commodities information provider, is a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP). Its annual awards showcase extraordinary accomplishments by energy businesses and individuals worldwide. Finalists and winners are determined by an independent international panel of judges.

Nearly 500 top executives from more than a dozen countries gathered in New York City for the gala event last night at New York’s Cipriani Wall Street.

The evening dinner and ceremony was preceded by the second annual Platts Lecture, during which industry leaders, market analysts, and academic scholars held a wide-ranging discussion on “Sense and Sustainability: What Strategies Will Really Work to Create a New Energy Future?” NRG Energy President and CEO David Crane joined Dr. Madeleine Albright, principal of The Albright Group LLC, Chair and principal of Albright Capital Management LLC and former U.S. Secretary of State as key speaker. NRG Energy was the Platts Global Energy Awards’ “Energy Company of the Year” in 2007.

Capgemini was the principal sponsor of the Platts Global Energy Awards for the sixth consecutive year. The event was co-sponsored by Spectra Energy, for its second year, and Platts welcomed Elster Electricity, Duff and Phelps, Microsoft and Solarc as co-sponsors.

The Global Energy Awards recognize excellence and innovation by companies and executives in more than a dozen sectors within the global energy industry. Platts received nearly 200 nominations from energy companies in more than 22 countries.

The winners in each awards category were:

Commercial Technology of the Year:

CoaLogix

Community Development Program of the Year:

Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas)

Downstream Business of the Year:

MOL Nyrt

Energy Transporter of the Year:

MidAmerican Energy Pipeline Group

Engineering Project of the Year:

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation & Enterprise Products Partners L.P.

ENR Energy Construction Project of the Year:

Northeast Utilities

Hydrocarbon Producer of the Year:

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobas

Industry Leadership Award:

Royal Dutch Shell

Lifetime Achievement Award:

Edison International

Marketing Campaign of the Year:

UNION FENOSA

Power Company of the Year

CEZ, a.s.

Rising Star Award

EMFESZ First Hungarian Natural Gas and Energy Trading and Service LLC

Strategic Energy Investment of the Year

Peabody Energy

Sustainable Energy Initiative of the Year

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Sustainable Technology Innovation of the Year

Orion Energy Systems

Next year’s Platts Global Energy Awards Gala and events will be held December 2, 2009 in New York City.

About Platts:

Platts, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), is a leading global provider of energy and commodities information. With nearly a century of business experience, Platts serves customers across more than 150 countries. From 17 offices worldwide, Platts serves the oil, natural gas, electricity, nuclear power, coal, emissions, petrochemical, shipping and metals markets. Platts’ real time news, pricing, analytical services, and conferences help markets operate with transparency and efficiency. Traders, risk managers, analysts, and industry leaders depend upon Platts to help them make better trading and investment decisions. Additional information is available at http://www.platts.com.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies:

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SOURCE Platts