WGII Washington Grp. International (MM)

BOISE, Idaho and PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Washington Group International (NASDAQ:WGII) announced today that two nuclear projects performed by SGT LLC, its joint venture with AREVA NP Inc., have been recognized by the power industry with awards for world-class performances. SGT steam generator replacement projects won the Platts Global Energy Award for 2006 Energy Construction Project of the Year and Power Engineering magazine's 2006 Nuclear Project of the Year. This marks the second year in a row an SGT project has earned Power Engineering honors for best nuclear project. "These awards illustrate SGT's continued commitment to efficiency, safety, and operational excellence and exemplify the superior level of service inherent in each project the company undertakes," said Lou Pardi, president of Washington Group's Power Business Unit, based in Princeton, N.J. "Both projects set new world records -- something that doesn't happen in complex undertakings such as these without extensive, detailed planning, top-notch communication, high safety expectations and precise execution." SGT LLC is one of only two companies providing such services in the United States. 2006 Energy Construction Project of the Year Platts, a respected information company in the energy industry, selected the record-breaking AmerenUE Callaway Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 Steam Generator Replacement as the 2006 Energy Construction Project of the Year. SGT's replacement of four steam generators at the Callaway plant in Fulton, Miss., exemplified project execution excellence. This project set the world record for any steam generator replacement breaker-to-breaker outage duration. Safety was paramount on the project. At completion, more than one million hours had been worked without a lost-time injury, and the outage was completed with no recordable injuries. 2006 Nuclear Project of the Year The Entergy Arkansas Nuclear One steam generator replacement and reactor vessel closure head replacement project in Russellville, Ark., was selected as Power Engineering's 2006 Nuclear Project of the Year. SGT established a new breaker-to-breaker outage record for replacement of Babcock & Wilcox once-through steam generators, completing the work with no lost-time accidents, and further demonstrating the success of Washington Group's and SGT's strong, proactive safety cultures. In 2005, SGT won best nuclear project honors for the reactor vessel closure head replacement project at Florida Power & Light's Turkey Point Units 3 & 4 in Florida City, Fla. Washington Group International also won 2005 Best Gas-Fired Project for work at the Port Washington Generating Station, located north of Milwaukee, Wis. As the leading U.S. nuclear vendor and a key player in the electricity transmission and distribution sector, AREVA's 5,000 American energy employees are committed to serve the nation and pave the way for the future of the electricity market. With 40 locations across the nation and nearly $2 billion in energy revenues in 2005, AREVA, through its subsidiaries, combines homegrown leadership, access to worldwide expertise and a proven track record of performance. In the U.S. and in more than 100 countries around the world, AREVA is engaged in the 21st century's greatest challenges: making energy available to all, protecting the planet, and acting responsibly towards future generations. AREVA Inc. is headquartered in Bethesda, Md. Washington Group International (NASDAQ:WGII) provides the talent, innovation, and proven performance to deliver integrated engineering, construction and management solutions for businesses and governments worldwide. Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with more than $3 billion in annual revenue, the company has approximately 24,000 people at work around the world providing solutions in power, environmental management, defense, oil and gas processing, mining, industrial facilities, transportation and water resources. For more information, visit http://www.wgint.com/. DATASOURCE: Washington Group International CONTACT: Media, Jerry Holloway or Laurie Spiegelberg, +1-208-386-5255, or Investors, Earl Ward, +1-208-386-5698, all of Washington Group International Web site: http://www.wgint.com/

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