First Wind Bolsters Financial and Operational Depth with Key Additions to Executive Management Team

Steven Schauer promoted to Senior Vice President, Finance and Treasurer and
Steven Chwiecko joins company as Senior Vice President, Commercial Asset
Management
BOSTON--(Business Wire)--
First Wind, an independent North American wind power company,announced that it
has named two people to its senior management team. These additions, one
promoted from within the company and another a strategic new hire, will
collectively enhance First Wind`s ability to secure financing for its expanding
wind projects in development and optimize the commercial value of the company`s
installed operating base.

Steve Schauer, who has served as First Wind`s Vice President, Finance since
joining the company in November 2008, was promoted to Senior Vice President,
Finance and Treasurer. In this new position, he will be responsible for all
project finance, tax equity, corporate debt capital, and treasury operations.

Steven Chwiecko joins the company as Senior Vice President, Commercial Asset
Management. Mr. Chwiecko has more than 25 years of experience in the unregulated
power generation area focusing on asset management and acquisitions, most
recently for Atlantic Power Corporation. In this newly created role at First
Wind, Mr. Chwiecko will oversee the company`s leases, power sales agreements,
REC sales contracts, and interconnection agreements for current operating wind
projects.

"I`m pleased to announce these additions to our senior management team, which
are critical to ensuring the continued growth and success of First Wind," said
Paul Gaynor, CEO of First Wind. "During his time with First Wind, Steve Schauer
has contributed to our success through his leadership on the successful
financing for our Milford Wind project. We are looking to Steve to continue to
lead these efforts in his new role. Steven Chwiecko joins our team at a critical
juncture. As our operational assets continue to grow, so does our need to ensure
that we are achieving optimal return for those major investments."

Steven Schauer

Mr. Schauer has over 18 years of experience in the energy and power financing
sector. Since joining First Wind in November 2008, Mr. Schauer led the
development and execution of a $376 million construction financing for the 203.5
Megawatt (MW) Milford Wind Corridor project in Milford, UT, which is slated for
commercial operations in late 2009. Prior to joining First Wind, Mr. Schauer was
the Executive Director of Solar Development for FPL Energy (now NextEra Energy
Resources). During his time with FPL Energy, Mr. Schauer also served as
Assistant Treasurer where his team raised over $3.4 billion in financing for 31
wind and solar energy projects. Prior to joining FPL, Mr. Schauer worked for BTM
Capital and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC).

Mr. Schauer holds both a Master of Business Administration degree from Boston
College and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Willamette University in Salem, OR.

Steven Chwiecko

Prior to joining First Wind, Mr. Chwiecko was responsible for Asset Management
and Acquisitions for a portfolio of 16 power/transmission projects for Atlantic
Power Corp., one the largest Canadian Power Income Funds. Prior to that, he
served at El Paso Merchant Energy where he originated the acquisitions of
electric generating "qualifying" facilities and executed restructuring of
facility-related power purchase agreements. Mr. Chwiecko also served for 12
years as CFO at Adirondack Hydro Development Corporation.

Mr. Chwiecko holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from St. Lawrence
University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Rochester
Institute of Technology.

About First Wind

First Wind is an independent North American wind energy company focused
exclusively on the development, ownership and operation of wind energy projects.
First Wind is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts. For more information on
First Wind, please visit www.firstwind.com or follow us on Twitter @FirstWind.

Filed under: First Wind, Milford Wind, wind power

First Wind
John Lamontagne, 617-964-3340
Director, Communications
jlamontagne@firstwind.com

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