TransAlta Implements LODESTAR's BillingExpert to Handle Complex Billing

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TransAlta Implements LODESTAR's BillingExpert

to Handle Complex Billing

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TO BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY EDITORS:

TransAlta Implements LODESTAR's BillingExpert

to Handle Complex Billing

Installation of LODESTAR Solution Complete in Only Four Months

PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTS, Apr. 23 -/E-Wire/-- LODESTAR Corporation today announced that TransAlta, Canada's largest nonregulated electricity generation company, has implemented LODESTAR(R)'s BillingExpert(TM) software solution to handle the complexities and high volume of its long-term Power Purchase Arrangement (PPA) billing under deregulation. LODESTAR provides leading e- Business software solutions in the new energy economy.

PPAs, contracts for the sale of energy, are highly complex and involve large volumes of data. Unlike traditional billing systems that can handle only simple tariff rates, BillingExpert is able to model the complex contracts of PPAs.

"TransAlta needed a billing system that could meet our needs," said Rob Tod, senior project leader at the Alberta-based TransAlta. "We selected LODESTAR because it had the ability to do the detailed job we needed."

BillingExpert uses LODESTAR's standardized Rules Language(TM), a high- level, rules-based computing language that allows business analysts to price, profile, settle, bill, validate and communicate large volumes of information among trading partners. This saves time, money and speed to market.

"BillingExpert only took four months to install and was operational by Jan. 1, 2001," Tod said. "We thought it would take eight months -- 12 months ideally -- to put in a billing system."

"BillingExpert's ability to model the complex contracts of PPAs provides a uniquely powerful competitive advantage to a world-class generation company like TransAlta," said Chris Hamilos, chairman and CEO of LODESTAR. "And TransAlta provides further direct testimony to the exciting business opportunities for LODESTAR within all competitive segments of the new energy economy."

About TransAlta TransAlta is an international electric energy company with more than $7 billion in assets. The company is focused on achieving strong earnings growth and enhancing its competitive edge as a low-cost operator of generation and transmission assets, and a successful developer of gas-fired independent power projects. The company is concentrating its growth in Canada, the United States, Australia and Mexico. TransAlta owns and operates more than 8,000 megawatts of generation plus significant transmission assets in Alberta.

About LODESTAR LODESTAR provides leading e-Business software solutions to enable customer choice in the new energy economy. With more than 120 clients in North America, LODESTAR is a well-known and reliable provider of world-class software solutions. Energy providers use LODESTAR software for pricing, billing, load profiling and settlement, financial management and transaction management. The LODESTAR Customer Choice Suite(TM) (CCS(TM)) provides the world's most complete, flexible, scalable and reliable Web-based software to competitive retail companies, regulated distribution companies, independent system operators, and transmission and generation companies. LODESTAR customers include Shell Energy Services Company, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), TXU, Allegheny Power, BC Hydro, Southern Company and TransAlta.

LODESTAR's Customer Choice Suite includes: LodeStar, a cost-effective and flexible load research system; RateExpert(TM) for competitive pricing and rate analysis with an optional revenue forecasting module; BillingExpert(TM), a powerful and easy-to-use billing and financial management engine; LODESTAR Profile & Settlement System(TM) (LPSS(TM)) for cost-effective load estimation, reconciliation and settlement; LODESTAR Data Repository(TM), a central repository for both interval data and customer demographic information; and LODESTAR Transaction Management Hub(TM) (LTMH(TM)), which allows users to quickly interface with trading partners and legacy applications.

LODESTAR Corporation's headquarters is at Two Corporation Way in Peabody, MA 01960 USA. For more information, visit www.lodestarcorp.com or call (888) 225-1293.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The success of the agreements and products described above and the future operating results of LODESTAR Corporation may differ from the results discussed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements due to factors that include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the eBusiness software applications market, dependence on the Internet, risks associated with new versions and new products and risks associated with rapid technological change.

LODESTAR, BillingExpert, Rules Language, Customer Choice Suite (CCS), RateExpert, LODESTAR Profile and Settlement System (LPSS), LODESTAR Data Repository and LODESTAR Transaction Management Hub (LTMH) are all either registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, and/or service marks of LODESTAR Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

LODESTAR Corporation

http://www.lodestarcorp.com

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