Universal Appoints Duane Parnham Chairman and Provides Corporate Update

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Jan 12 (MARKET WIRE) --
Universal Power Corp. (TSX VENTURE: UNX)(FRANKFURT: 3U2A) (the "Company")
or ("Universal") today provided a corporate update as follows:

CORPORATE APPOINTMENTS

Duane Parnham appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the Company:

Mr. Parnham is a director of the Company and a director and CEO of Forsys
Metals Corp. He has over eight years of experience directly working in
Namibia. Valencia Uranium and Forsys Metals, a group of Namibian
companies assembled by Mr. Parnham 3 years prior is currently subject to
a takeover valued at $580 million. His relationships and expertise,
developed through-out a 24 year career spanning successes in mining,
government relations, capital markets, and corporate management will
greatly assist Universal in creating shareholder value as the oil & gas
assets are developed.

Knowledge Katti appointed CEO of Kunene Energy (Pty) Ltd ("Kunene
Energy"), a Namibian subsidiary of the Company:

Mr. Katti is a director of the Company and an officer of Kunene Energy.
Mr. Katti is a distinguished Namibian businessman with over 10 years of
experience in national and international exploration and government
activities. He is a tremendous resource to the Company in terms of deal
flow and potential strategic partnerships. Kunene Energy is a Namibian
Black Economic Empowerment company founded by Mr. Katti and a 90% owned
subsidiary of the Company.

Alex Warne appointed Lead Exploration Consultant of Kunene Energy:

Mr. Warne is a geologist located in Namibia, Africa. He has extensive
experience in international hydrocarbon exploration and development and
previously worked for Namcor, the National oil and gas Company for
Namibia. While with Namcor, Mr. Warne was part of the geological team
that worked on the Kudu gas field, which has proven reserves of 1.3 TCF
and estimated reserves of 3 TCF.

Barry Swanson, CEO for the Company stated, "our board is delighted to
make these appointments which will strengthen our position in Namibia,
enhance our operating ability, and attract a broader investor shareholder
base. Namibia is in the early stages of oil and gas discovery and
development and these three gentlemen have extensive experience working
in this resource rich country. Mr. Parnham has demonstrated his unique
ability to create significant shareholder value with the recently
announced takeover bid for Forsys Metals Corp. of $580 million and we
feel privileged to have Mr. Parnham head up our board and oversee the
Company's strategic initiatives and development."

CORPORATE UPDATE

Management has built a portfolio of over 32,000 Square Kilometers of
highly prospective hydrocarbon concessions in the Namibian oil and gas
sedimentary basins. These under-explored frontier basins demonstrate the
presence of the same source rocks as the Brazilian counterpart basins
with respect to their depositional sequences, rock types and oil
fingerprinting; by comparison the Tupi Discovery Offshore Brazil is
estimated to be 30+ billion of BOE.

Block 1711

The Company has been advised by Sintezneftegaz Namibia Ltd., the operator
of Kunene No. 1 well that they plan to carryout additional work on the
well. The proposed work program will include an independent audit of
reserves and resources, detailed Petrophysical and Geochemical analysis
of all data collected on the well, comprehensive interpretation of the
seismic covering block 1711, and a comparison to the Kudu gas field. A
meeting with the operator and partners involved is being scheduled to
take place early in 2009 to review results from the 2008 work program and
consider the operator's proposal for the 2009 work program. Knowledge
Katti, a director of the Company will attend this meeting. Kunene Energy,
the Company's subsidiary has a 3% carried interest in Block 1711.

The government of Namibia has classified Kunene No. 1 as a "tight hole,"
meaning no information regarding the well may be released until such time
as the Namibian government determines to make the information public.

Blocks 2815 & 2713AB

The Company is well positioned to assemble strategic interests in
high-profile African oil and gas projects and in addition to Block 1711
has a 90% working interest in Blocks 2713A&B and a 30% carried interest
in Block 2815.

These oil and gas concessions are located in the Orange Basin, adjacent
to the Kudu gas fields and show direct evidence of hydrocarbons, which
include the penetration of organic-rich, high total organic carbon
intervals in exploration and deep sea drilling project wells,
penetrations of potential reservoir zones with shows of oil and gas, and
the accumulation of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons in the Namibian
offshore Kudu field. Indirect evidence includes potential gas chimneys
and gas hydrate zones recognized on seismic data, and the presence of oil
seeps detected using RADARSAT imagery. These blocks are also considered
strategically important, being located in close proximity to South
Africa's energy market, and power shortages. Currently Tullow Oil, BHP
Billiton, Hunt Oil, PetroSA, Neptune Petroleum, and Chariot Oil & Gas are
working on nearby blocks.

The Company is currently in discussions with a strategic working partner
for these concessions.

Stock options

Universal also announced today that it has granted incentive stock
options to certain directors, officers and consultants for the purchase
of a total of 2,700,000 common shares of the Company at a price of $0.20
each until January 12, 2014. The options are being granted pursuant to
the terms of the Company's stock option plan.

About Universal Power Corp.

Universal Power Corp. and its BEE partner are positioned as an emerging
junior exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the FSE
Open Market. The Company's mission is to deliver significant share
appreciation through the discovery, exploration and production of fossil
fuel energy.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Barry Swanson, Director & CEO

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that
reflect the current views and/or expectations of Universal Power Corp.
with respect to its performance, business and future events. Investors
are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties including, without limitation, those relating to changes in
the market, potential downturns in economic conditions, foreign exchange
fluctuations, changes in business strategy, regulatory requirements,
demand for our resources, competition and dependence on key personnel.
These risks, as well as others, could cause actual results and events to
vary significantly. Universal Power Corp. does not undertake any
obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary
forward-looking statements.

Shares Outstanding: 58,066,671

The TSX Venture Exchange has not
reviewed and does not accept responsibility of the adequacy or accuracy
of this news release.

Contacts:
Universal Power Corp.
Barry Swanson
Director & CEO
(778) 997-4925
Email: barry@universalpowercorp.ca

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