Washington Group International to Construct Uranium-Enrichment Facility

BOISE, Idaho, and ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Aug 01, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall

Washington Group International (NYSE: WNG) has been awarded a cost- reimbursable, task-order contract by Louisiana Energy Services (LES) to provide construction services in the building of the National Enrichment Facility, a uranium-enrichment facility near Eunice, N.M. Providing construction services for the National Enrichment Facility is a major expansion of Washington Group's role at the site, where the firm has been providing related construction-management services since mid-2006.

The $1.5 billion National Enrichment Facility will provide the United States with an alternative domestic source of enriched uranium required to operate the country's nuclear power plants. It is the first major nuclear facility to be licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the United States in three decades, and in June 2006, LES became the first company ever to be awarded a combined construction and operating license.

"This project plays an important role in the renaissance of nuclear power and supports a diversified energy supply by providing a major, new domestic source of enriched uranium," said Lou Pardi, president of the company's Power Business Unit, headquartered in Princeton, N.J. "This project is an outgrowth of our strong working relationship with LES, coupled with our excellent record in construction safety."

Construction activities are under way, and it is estimated there will be more than 600 construction personnel during peak construction. The National Enrichment Facility is scheduled to begin production mid-2009 with all construction completed in 2013.

Washington Group International provides services addressing the full nuclear life cycle including licensing, engineering, design, procurement, construction, startup, maintenance and modification, decommissioning, and waste-storage services for nuclear power. Washington Group has provided services to the majority of U.S. nuclear power plants and is the engineer and/or constructor of record for 49 nuclear units worldwide.

Washington Group International (NYSE: WNG) 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 25,000 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.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as may, will, could, should, expect, anticipate, intend, plan, estimate, or continue or the negative thereof or other variations thereof. Each forward-looking statement, including, without limitation, any financial guidance, speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and Washington Group undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances. The forward-looking statements are necessarily based on assumptions and estimates of management and are inherently subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary materially as a result of changes or developments in social, economic, business, market, legal, and regulatory circumstances or conditions, both domestically and globally, as well as due to actions by customers, clients, suppliers, business partners, or government bodies. Performance is subject to numerous factors, including demand for new power generation and for modification of existing power facilities, public sector funding, demand for extractive resources, capital spending plans of customers, and spending levels and priorities of the U.S., state and other governments. Results may also vary as a result of difficulties or delays experienced in the execution of contracts or implementation of strategic initiatives. For additional risks and uncertainties impacting the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, please see "Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Washington Group's annual report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2006.

SOURCE Washington Group International

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