UPC Wind Brings on New Investors

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 2006--UPC Wind Partners, LLC ("UPC Wind") announced today that a member of the D. E. Shaw group and an affiliate of Madison Dearborn Partners have each made a significant investment in the Newton, Massachusetts-based wind energy company. UPC Wind's original investors have retained a substantial stake in the company, and the management team at UPC Wind will remain unchanged.

Paul Gaynor, President and CEO of UPC Wind, stated, "The D. E. Shaw group and Madison Dearborn are ideal investors at this stage of UPC Wind's growth." Mr. Gaynor added, "We are now well-positioned to capitalize on our significant development pipeline that we have developed in key markets over the past few years." He concluded, "We expect to see significant growth in the next two to three years."

“The D. E. Shaw group and Madison Dearborn are ideal investors at this stage of UPC Wind's growth.”

Formed by Brian Caffyn and Peter Gish in 2001, UPC Wind has several dozen projects in various stages of development in North America. Two of its projects, located in Hawaii and in Maine, are currently under construction and are expected to begin commercial operation soon. Both projects will be the first large scale wind energy projects located in those states.

The D. E. Shaw group is a specialized investment and technology development firm founded in 1988 by Dr. David E. Shaw. Headquartered in New York, the D. E. Shaw group encompasses a number of closely related entities with approximately $20 billion in aggregate capital. The D. E. Shaw group is engaged in a broad spectrum of investment activities, including direct capital and private equity activities.

Madison Dearborn Partners, based in Chicago, is one of the largest and most experienced private equity investment firms in the United States. MDP has approximately $14 billion of equity capital under management, and makes new investments through its most recent funds, Madison Dearborn Capital Partners IV, L.P., a $4 billion investment fund raised in 2001 and Madison Dearborn Capital Partners V, L.P., a $6.5 billion investment fund raised in 2006. MDP focuses on management buyout transactions and other private equity investments across a broad spectrum of industries, including basic industries, energy & power, communications, consumer, financial services, and health care. For more information, please visit the MDP website at www.mdcp.com.

More information about UPC Wind can be found at www.upcwind.com.