HOUSTON, June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- El Paso Corporation (NYSE: EP) announced today that it has completed the sale of its interest in the Araucaria power plant in Brazil to Companhia Paranaense de Energia (COPEL), ending El Paso's participation in the dispute between COPEL and the Araucaria project company. El Paso received $190 million in exchange for its 60-percent ownership of the plant.

El Paso Corporation provides natural gas and related energy products in a safe, efficient, and dependable manner. The company owns North America's largest natural gas pipeline system and one of North America's largest independent natural gas producers. For more information, visit http://www.elpaso.com .

Editors Note: The Araucaria plant is a combined-cycle, 484-megawatt, natural gas-fired power plant located in the Parana State, Brazil. El Paso first entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement with COPEL in May of 2000.

SOURCE  El Paso Corporation
    -0-                             06/02/2006
    /CONTACT:  investor and public relations, Bruce L. Connery, Vice
President, +1-713-420-5855, or fax, +1-713-420-4417, or media relations, Chris
Jones, Manager, +1-713-420-4136, or fax, +1-713-420-4417, both of El Paso
Corporation/
    /Web site:  http://www.elpaso.com /
    (EP)

CO:  El Paso Corporation; Companhia Paranaense de Energia; COPEL
ST:  Texas, Brazil
IN:  OIL UTI
SU:  RLE

MA-CT
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9096 06/02/2006 11:58 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com