Mar 02, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) announced that Daniel V. Steen, formerly director, Environmental, has been promoted to vice president, Environmental, effective March 6, reporting to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Richard R. Grigg.

"Dan is a well-respected expert in utility environmental matters," said Mr. Grigg. "His promotion underscores both to the industry and within our company the increasing importance we place on environmental stewardship in all aspects of our operations."

Mr. Steen is responsible for developing environmental protection strategies that comply with laws and regulations pertaining to all of the company's facilities in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He also plays a key advising role regarding the operation and maintenance of environmental systems throughout the company.

Mr. Steen began his career as a co-op engineer at Ohio Edison Company in 1966, which merged with Centerior Corporation in 1997 to form FirstEnergy. He has held a variety of engineering and management positions, including substation design, transmission and power supply planning, and power plant operations. Mr. Steen was promoted to director of the Environmental Department in 1997.

A Registered Professional Engineer in Ohio, Mr. Steen earned his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering and a law degree from The University of Akron. He also is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University's Advanced School of Power Systems Engineering, and attended the Program for Executive Development at Northwestern University's Graduate School of Management.

Mr. Steen serves on the Board of the Pennsylvania Resources Council, and is a member of the environmental committees of several key industry groups, including the Electric Power Research Institute, the Edison Electric Institute, and the Electric Power Generation Association. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Energy Advisory Board. Mr. Steen also is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Boys and Girls Club of Summit County, Ohio.

He and his wife, Connie, reside in Munroe Falls, Ohio. They have two children and four grandchildren.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services. Its seven electric utility operating companies comprise the nation's fifth largest investor-owned electric system, based on 4.4 million customers served within a 36,100-square-mile area of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Forward-Looking Statement: This news release includes forward-looking statements based on information currently available to management. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. These statements typically contain, but are not limited to, the terms "anticipate," "potential," "expect," "believe," "estimate" and similar words. Actual results may differ materially due to the speed and nature of increased competition and deregulation in the electric utility industry, economic or weather conditions affecting future sales and margins, changes in markets for energy services, changing energy and commodity market prices, replacement power costs being higher than anticipated or inadequately hedged, maintenance costs being higher than anticipated, legislative and regulatory changes (including revised environmental requirements), adverse regulatory or legal decisions and outcomes (including revocation of necessary licenses or operating permits, fines or other enforcement actions and remedies) of government investigations, including by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the United States Attorney's Office and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as disclosed in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, generally, and with respect to the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station outage in particular, the availability and cost of capital, the continuing availability and operation of generating units, our inability to accomplish or realize anticipated benefits from strategic goals, our ability to improve electric commodity margins and to experience growth in the distribution business, our ability to access the public securities and other capital markets, further investigation into the causes of the August 14, 2003 regional power outage and the outcome, cost and other effects of present and potential legal and administrative proceedings and claims related to the outage, the final outcome in the proceeding related to FirstEnergy's Application for a Rate Stabilization Plan in Ohio, the risks and other factors discussed from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, and other similar factors. We expressly disclaim any current intention to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.

David C. Poeppelmeier of FirstEnergy Corp., +1-330-384-5813