1.25.2006 ET

(CSRwire) COLCHESTER, Vt.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Green Mountain Power (NYSE:GMP) today received recognition for achieving statewide excellence in its health and safety program. The Vermont Department of Labor's Project WorkSAFE Program has certified that all divisions of Green Mountain Power have met the requirements of the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).

"This is a very important achievement for us," said Mary Powell, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Green Mountain Power. "We have made significant progress in our efforts to be a socially responsible company, and assuring top safety conditions for our employees at their workplace is a critical component of our commitment to a socially responsible, environmentally sound and productive workplace."

Last February, Green Mountain Power completed the SHARP requirements for its western division. Over the past 12 months, Green Mountain Power and the Vermont Department of Labor Project WorkSAFE Program have worked closely to certify the remaining divisions. Detailed inspections of all the Company's workplaces, including power plants, resulted in hundreds of small improvements, such as securing storage cabinets to the wall, ensuring that extension cords in offices are heavy duty and replacing frayed cables.

"We work in a high hazard business and are very used to high safety standards for electric work. Now we have achieved similar standards for indoor workspaces. None of the improvements was terribly difficult to make, but the breadth and detail of the work necessary to meet SHARP certification was striking," said Ms. Powell. "The SHARP process sets the bar very high, and we're pleased we were able to meet it."

The SHARP program is a nationally recognized program implemented by states under Federal OSHA. The SHARP program recognizes small, high-hazard businesses with exemplary safety and health programs. Upon receiving SHARP certification, the workplace will be exempt from programmed inspections during the period that the SHARP certification is valid. Currently there are about 800 firms in the United States with certification.

For further information about the SHARP program or Project WorkSAFE, please visit the Department of Labor and Industry website:
www.state.vt.us/labind .

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