BILLINGS, Mont., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PPL Montana announced Tuesday (8/18) that a Montanan with 28 years of service with the generating company will become its new vice president and chief operating officer. Pete Simonich, who currently serves as manager-Generating Assets for PPL Montana, will take over his new position on Aug. 31. He is succeeding Brad Spencer, who announced his retirement earlier this year. PPL Montana is a subsidiary of PPL Corporation (NYSE:PPL). "We are very pleased to have someone with Pete's extensive background and experience ready to step into this important leadership role," said Victor N. Lopiano, PPL's senior vice president-Fossil and Hydro Generation. "In addition to his proven operational expertise, as a native and longtime resident of Montana, Pete clearly is committed to continuing PPL Montana's excellent working partnerships at the community and state level. "All of us at PPL Montana thank Brad Spencer for his outstanding efforts in the eight years he has served as the company's vice president and chief operating officer. By announcing Pete's appointment now, Brad will be available to help Pete with his transition to his new position," said Lopiano. Simonich has spent most of his career at the Colstrip power plant in eastern Montana, starting as a startup engineer at the plant in 1981, when it was part of the Montana Power Co. He also worked as a senior engineer, staff engineer, maintenance supervisor, director-Performance Engineering, operations manager and production area leader before being named general manager of projects at the plant in 1999. Following the sale of Montana Power's power plants to PPL in 1999, Simonich was named general manager-Colstrip and was named to his current position in 2004. In his current position, Simonich also has responsibility for PPL Montana's hydroelectric facilities in the state. A native of Butte, he earned a degree in chemical engineering from Montana State University. He began his professional career as a process engineer at Champion International Corporation's Frenchtown, Mont., pulp mill before moving to Colstrip. Simonich resides in Laurel with his wife, Pam. They have three sons, a daughter and one granddaughter. Simonich serves on the National Advisory Board of Montana State University-Billings, and is a past member of the parish council at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Colstrip. PPL Montana operates coal-fired power plants at Colstrip and Billings, as well as 11 hydroelectric power plants along Rosebud Creek and the Missouri, Madison, Clark Fork and Flathead rivers. It controls about 1,280 megawatts of generating capacity in Montana and is responsible for the operation of facilities with 2,850 megawatts of capacity. PPL Montana has offices in Billings, Butte and Helena. PPL Corporation controls or owns more than 12,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets and delivers electricity to about 4 million customers in Pennsylvania and the United Kingdom. DATASOURCE: PPL Montana CONTACT: David Hoffman of PPL Montana, +1-406-431-6783 Web Site: http://www.pplweb.com/

Copyright