Three Companies Snag New Platts Global Energy Awards

Three Companies Snag New Platts Global Energy Awards

December 01, 2007

NRG Energy, Duke Energy CEO Get Awards for Company, Exec of
the Year

    NEW YORK, Dec. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- 

    As part of the prestigious Global Energy Awards
presented last night, Platts announced winners in 
newly-created award categories: OpenLink Financial for
"Risk Management Innovator of the Year;" Applied
Materials Inc. for "Green Energy Innovator of the
Year;" and Toronto Hydro and its Peaksaver program as
"Energy Efficiency Initiative of the Year." 

    The 2007 Platts Global Energy Awards were co-sponsored
for the fifth year by Capgemini and for the second year by
Bracewell & Giuliani and also included sponsors:
Standard & Poor's, Panasonic Computer Solutions Company
and Spectra Energy Corporation. 

    "This year's award winners in these newly-created
categories underscore the growing trend toward and
significance of sustainability, as well as an international
diversity of leadership," said Victoria Chu Pao, Platts
president.   

    OpenLink Financial, winner of the Risk Management
Innovator of the Year Award, won the award for its
creativity in developing energy risk software products
based on unique service-oriented risk architecture.  Its
software, said the judges, has the in-depth capability to
handle the complexities of the energy markets.

    The panel bestowed the "Green Energy Innovator of
the Year "award to Applied Materials, Inc. because of
its breaking of a technological barrier to the full
application of solar energy.  The company developed a
commercially-viable thin-film technology as a viable
alternative to the global shortage of "feedstock"
silicon for solar wafers.

    Canada-based Toronto Hydro, winner of the Energy
Efficiency Initiative of the Year award, showed
conservation savvy with its application of wireless
thermostat control to help curb energy use in hot weather.
This was in direct response to the Ontario government's
challenge to its citizens to cut peak electricity demand by
five percent.  

    In addition to these new awards, other important
accolades were announced at the awards ceremony last night.
 NRG Energy, a leading international diversified company
headquartered in Houston, won the "company of the
year" award yesterday at the Awards ceremony.  At the
same ceremony, Jim Rogers, known for advocacy of energy
efficiency, garnered the acclaimed "CEO of the
Year" award.  Platts "Lifetime Achievement
Award" was bestowed on Lord Oxburgh of Liverpool,
former Shell Transport and Trading Chair, an executive,
academic and scientist also known for his role in and
advocacy of industry innovation and climate change issues. 

    The Global Energy Awards are judged by an international
panel of energy industry experts and veterans -- including
former and current top corporate executives, regulators,
leading, academics, government advisors and seasoned
editors. 

    The winners last night, in each category, were: 

    Commercial Technology of the Year:
    Shell Global Solutions B.V./Criterion Catalysts &
Technologies

    Community Development Program of the Year:
    Attock Refinery Limited	

    Downstream Business of the Year:
    Valero Energy Corporation

    Energy Company of the Year: 
    NRG Energy

    Energy Efficiency Initiative of the Year:
    Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited-Peaksaver Program
  
    Energy Transporter of the Year:
    Sovcomflot

    Energy Engineering Project of the Year:
    Nexen Inc.

    ENR Energy Construction Project of the Year:
    Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

    Green Energy Innovator of the Year:
    Applied Materials, Inc.

    Hydrocarbon Producer of the Year:
    Chesapeake Energy Corporation
 
    Industry Leadership Award: 
    NRG Energy

    Lifetime Achievement Award:
    Lord Ernest Ronald Oxburgh

    Marketing Campaign of the Year:
    E Wie Einfach/E.ON

    Power Company of the Year:
    MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company
  
    Rising Star Award: 
    AED Oil Limited 

    Risk Management Innovator of the Year:
    OpenLink Financial

    CEO of the Year:
    James Rogers, Duke Energy

    The finalists and winners in 17 categories exemplify
the spirit of innovation and an enduring commitment to
employees, customers, shareholders, the environment, and
the energy industry as a whole. Platts received more than
200 nominations this year from energy companies around the
world.   

    Next year's Platts Global Energy Awards Gala and events
will be held on December 3, 2008.

    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 14 offices worldwide, Platts serves the
oil, natural gas, electricity, nuclear power, coal,
petrochemical, emissions, 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:

    Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP)
is a leading global information services provider meeting
worldwide needs in the financial services, education and
business information markets through leading brands such as
Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek
and J.D. Power and Associates. The corporation has more
than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2006 were $6.3
billion. Additional information is available at
http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.


    For more information, please contact:

     Kathleen Tanzy
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]