David Ratcliffe Elected EEI Chairman; Tony Earley And Richard Kelly To Serve As Vice-Chairmen

Toronto, Canada () - David M. Ratcliffe, chairman, president and CEO of Atlanta-based Southern Company, has been elected chairman of the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the national association of shareholder-owned electric companies, international affiliates and industry associates worldwide. The announcement was made during EEI’s annual meeting. The Institute’s chairmanship rotates on an annual basis.

“The electricity industry is embarking upon possibly the largest capital expansion in its history to meet growing electricity demand, while at the same time Congress is weighing far-reaching policy options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our and other sectors,” Ratcliffe said. “This dramatic convergence of energy and environmental issues represents one of the greatest challenges ever faced by our sector, with major implications for the entire U.S. economy.”

Ratcliffe will be supported by Anthony F. Earley Jr., chairman and CEO of Detroit’s DTE Energy, who was elected first vice-chairman, and Richard C. “Dick” Kelly, chairman, president and CEO of Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy, who was elected second vice-chairman.

Ratcliffe became president of Southern Company in April 2004 and assumed the additional responsibilities of chairman and CEO in July of that year. Prior to this, he served for five years as CEO of Georgia Power, Southern Company’s largest subsidiary, and has been with Southern Company and its subsidiaries for more than 37 years.

A native of Tifton, Ga., Ratcliffe received a bachelor's degree in biology from Valdosta State University and a law degree from Woodrow Wilson College of Law.   He sits on numerous boards, including those of EEI, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, CSX Transportation, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, the Woodruff Arts Center, and the Metro Atlanta and Georgia Chambers of Commerce.

Tony Earley has been chairman and CEO of DTE Energy, the parent company of Detroit Edison, Michigan Consolidated Gas Company, and several non-regulated energy companies, since 1998. Earley joined Detroit Edison as president and chief operating officer in March 1994. Prior to that, he held several positions with Long Island Lighting Co., including president and COO, and was a partner in the Washington law firm of Hunton & Williams, where he assisted in the licensing of generating plants and represented nuclear utilities in regulatory proceedings before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Earley attended the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in physics, a master of science in engineering and a law degree. He also served as an officer in the United States Navy nuclear submarine program and chairman of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). He is a board member of Comerica Inc., MASCO Corporation and numerous other organizations, including EEI, NEI and Detroit Renaissance. He also sits on the U.S. Department of Energy Electricity Advisory Board.

Prior to his current role, Dick Kelly served as president and CEO of Xcel Energy from June 2005 until December 2005, president and COO from October 2003 to June 2005, vice president and CFO from August 2002 to October 2003, and president of Xcel Energy Enterprises from August 2000 to August 2002. He also served as executive vice president and CFO for New Century Energies from 1997 to August 2000 and senior vice president of Public Service Company of Colorado from 1990 to 1997. Kelly is a director and executive officer of Northern States Power Company-Minnesota, Northern States Power Company-Wisconsin, Southwestern Public Service Company and Public Service Company of Colorado, all subsidiaries of Xcel Energy.

Kelly is chairman of the board of the Science Museum of Minnesota and sits on the boards of the Capital City Partnership, EEI, the Electric Power Research Institute, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the Minnesota Orchestra, Regis University and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. He also is a member of numerous other organizations, including the Minnesota Business Partnership, the National Petroleum Council, Colorado Concern and Colorado Forum, and the National Advisory Council of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Kelly received his master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in accounting from Regis University. He attended the University of Colorado's Executive Education Conference and the University of Michigan's Public Utility Executive Program.

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The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is the association of U.S. shareholder-owned electric companies. Our members serve 95 percent of the ultimate customers in the shareholder-owned segment of the industry, and represent approximately 70 percent of the U.S. electric power industry. We also have more than 65 International electric companies as Affiliate members, and more than 170 industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate members.