UPC Wind Partners

UPC Wind Closes First Limited Recourse Financing for Clipper Wind Turbines

December 22, 2006

NEWTON, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dec. 21, 2006–UPC Wind Partners, LLC (“UPC Wind”) announced today that it has closed the first limited recourse loan facility in connection with Clipper Turbine Works, Inc.’s 2.5 MW “Liberty” series wind turbine generators. The $95 million turbine supply loan, underwritten by HSH Nordbank AG, New York Branch, is primarily secured by a turbine supply agreement with Clipper for fifty turbines and a limited parent company guarantee.

Tim Rosenzweig, CFO of UPC Wind, stated, “UPC Wind is pleased to close the first limited recourse turbine loan facility for Clipper turbines.” Mr. Rosenzweig added, “We are demonstrating to the market that the new technology is financable and plan to close additional financing facilities early next year.” He concluded, “We expect to see Clipper becoming a real player in the North American wind power market over the next few years.”

UPC Wind is a leading independent wind power developer backed by affiliates of Madison Dearborn Partners and D.E. Shaw.

More information about UPC Wind can be found at www.upcwind.com.

The D. E. Shaw group is a specialized investment and technology development firm founded in 1988 by Dr. David E. Shaw. Headquartered in New York, the D. E. Shaw group encompasses a number of closely related entities with approximately $20 billion in aggregate capital. The D. E. Shaw group is engaged in a broad spectrum of investment activities, including direct capital and private equity activities.

Madison Dearborn Partners, based in Chicago, is one of the largest and most experienced private equity investment firms in the United States. MDP has approximately $14 billion of equity capital under management, and makes new investments through its most recent funds, Madison Dearborn Capital Partners IV, L.P., a $4 billion investment fund raised in 2001 and Madison Dearborn Capital Partners V, L.P., a $6.5 billion investment fund raised in 2006. MDP focuses on management buyout transactions and other private equity investments across a broad spectrum of industries, including basic industries, energy & power, communications, consumer, financial services, and health care. For more information, please visit the MDP website at www.mdcp.com.