AT Atlantic Power Corporation

Alltel (NYSE: AT) has made significant progress this week restoring communications service in hurricane-battered areas of the Gulf Coast. The company also is providing financial assistance to customers and has made cash donations to the Red Cross for hurricane relief efforts in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. "Our hearts go out to our employees, customers and neighbors who have suffered this devastating natural disaster," said Scott Ford, Alltel president and chief executive officer. "We are taking several steps to help out in what will clearly be the most massive recovery effort in our nation's history." Alltel is providing free nationwide roaming and long-distance over the next two months to customers in the New Orleans, Biloxi and Gulfport, Miss., areas. Customers also will not incur any overage charges during that time period. Alltel will continue to evaluate providing additional assistance to customers. In addition, hurricane refugees and their loved ones can make free phone calls from Alltel stores to anywhere in the country during normal business hours. Customers can also recharge wireless phone batteries and receive assistance with damaged handsets and accessories. Alltel is sending 60,000 minutes of free long-distance calling cards to evacuees at the Astrodome in Houston. Meanwhile, Alltel's Hurricane Recovery Team is making significant progress restoring wireless service and reopening retail stores. Service has been restored to portions of Jackson, Miss., and much of Baton Rouge, La. Customers in these areas will continue to encounter difficulty placing or receiving calls due to extremely high call volumes. Repair crews are deploying electrical generators to provide emergency power to cell sites. Crews are now focusing their efforts to restore service south of Jackson, including Hattiesburg, Biloxi and Gulfport, and toward New Orleans. Across the remainder of the Gulf Coast, communications service is being improved rapidly. Minor outages remain in Mobile, but service is available across the rest of Alabama. Call service in Florida has been completely restored. Regular updates are available at www.alltel.com About 60 of Alltel's retail locations were forced to close by the hurricane. More than half have since reopened, including seventeen in the past 24 hours. These stores include four in Baton Rouge and 10 in South Alabama, including five in Mobile. Alltel employees also are being encouraged to donate to the Red Cross as well as to the company's Charitable Fund, which will provide direct cash assistance to the hundreds of Alltel employees who live and work in the disaster area. Alltel is continuing to work with relief agencies to provide support. Alltel is a customer-focused communications company with more than 15 million customers in 36 states and nearly $10 billion in annual revenues.