San Francisco, CA (May 09, 2002)-- The Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) announced today that Aquila, Inc. (NYSE: ILA, formerly UtiliCorp United) has earned Green-e certification for their tradable renewable energy certificates (TRCs). Aquila's TRCs are available to government and business customers nationwide. Customers purchasing Aquila TRCs have an independent assurance that their purchase supports generation from high-quality newly developed renewable energy plants.

TRCs, also known as "Green Tags," are created when renewable energy is substituted for traditional power. TRCs represent the environmental benefits of renewable energy generation in the form of a marketable commodity. TRCs are purchased in addition to the electricity that most consumers now use. Each purchase of Aquila TRCs supports new renewable electricity generation nationwide, offsetting the environmental effects of burning coal, gas and other fossil fuels to generate energy. For every unit of renewable electricity generated, an equivalent amount of renewable certificates are produced. TRCs create demand for renewable energy, reduce potential global climate change, and reduce regional air emissions.

Aquila was the first utility to provide wind-generated power to residential customers in Missouri and Kansas. Aquila provides its customers electricity from the Gray County Wind Farm in southwest Kansas - the largest ever constructed in the state. The wind farm produces 110 megawatts from 170 wind turbines at the site. Aquila's certified TRC product is composed of 100% new wind power generated at the wind farm.

"Through the purchase of TRC products, consumers help reduce our nation's dependence on fossil fuels to produce electricity, and contribute to the reduction of air emissions," said Jan Hamrin, Executive Director of CRS. "When TRC products are Green-e certified, consumers can be confident they are receiving the environmental benefits of green power as well as helping to expand the market for clean renewable energy."

Since 1997, Green-e has served as a nationally recognized tool to help consumers identify environmentally superior renewable energy offerings. Green-e is a voluntary certification program for renewable energy products sold in competitive retail electricity markets, regulated markets, and nationwide through Tradable Renewable Certificates (TRCs). To earn Green-e certification, a TRC product must originate entirely from new renewable facilities that generate energy from the sun, the wind, the heat of the Earth, low-impact hydropower, biogas, or biofuels. Certified providers undergo an annual verification process audit to document that the company purchased enough quantity and type of renewable certificates to meet customer demand and marketing claims. Aquila also agrees to abide by the Green-e Code of Conduct, and to submit marketing materials to CRS to meet Green-e disclosure and truth-in-advertising requirements.

Based in Kansas City, Mo., Aquila, Inc. is an international energy and risk management company with customers and operations across the U.S. and in Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia. More information about Aquila is available at: www.aquila.com.

For further information, please contact Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) at (415) 561-2100, or visit the website(s) www.resource-solutions.org or www.green-e.org. CRS is a nonprofit organization that encourages sustainable growth and promotes the use of clean energy.

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