ENERGY INVESTORS FUNDS AND JOHN HANCOCK ACQUIRE 100 PERCENT OF BERKSHIRE POWER COMPANY, LLC

BOSTON, MA (October 18, 2006) – Energy Investors Funds (“EIF”), an established private equity fund manager that invests in the energy and electric power sector, today announced that its United States Power Fund II, L.P. and John Hancock Life Insurance Company have acquired 100 percent of the equity and debt of Berkshire Power Company, LLC (Berkshire).

Berkshire is a 272-megawatt natural gas fired power plant located in Agawam, MA, near Springfield, MA. The project operates using modern, highly efficient electricity generating technology and sells its output into the ISO New England market.  Berkshire was initially built as a merchant power plant and commenced operations in June 2000.

"We are very pleased to make this acquisition,” said W. Rick Carlson, a Vice President of EIF. "Berkshire is an important asset for the New England power market. It’s a well-run, highly reliable facility with a strong operating history."

“This transaction serves as another example of the number of high quality assets in the power generation sector we’ve seen over the past few years,” said Herb Magid, a Managing Partner of EIF. “Going forward, we expect to continue to see exciting opportunities in both the power generation and transmission sectors.”

EIF has already committed a substantial portion of its United States Power Fund II, L.P., which closed in October 2005 with total capital commitments of $750 million, in a well-rounded portfolio of power generation and transmission assets in the U.S.

About Energy Investors Funds

Energy Investors Funds was founded in 1987 as the first private equity fund manager dedicated exclusively to the independent power and electric utility industry. The firm’s consistent, proven investment strategy is to create geographically and technologically diversified portfolios of electric power-related assets that provide superior risk-adjusted equity returns with current cash flow and capital appreciation. Energy Investors Funds provides equity capital for development, construction finance, and operational stage project investments, as well as for corporate investments. As investment managers, the firm seeks to mitigate commodity risk (fuel and electricity) by focusing primarily on acquiring power assets with long-term off-take contracts. Energy Investors Funds has mobilized over $1.75 billion in capital, and currently manages six private equity funds from its offices in Boston, New York, and San Francisco. These funds have made over 90 diversified investments, with a combined underlying asset value exceeding $5 billion. For more information visit www.eifgroup.com.

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