For Immediate Release
February 24, 2000

Washington, D.C. -- W. A. Chester, L.L.C., a subsidiary of Potomac Electric Power Company (POM: NYSE), announced today the election of Jack Wilson as chief executive officer and Bob Thompson as president and chief operating officer.

Wilson, a civil engineering graduate of the University of Arizona and a registered professional engineer, had been president and COO the past four years. "Chester has grown from being a regional contractor to a national specialist in cable installation and repair," Wilson said. "As cable design has evolved, so has Chester's ability to install it."

Thompson, a civil engineering graduate of the Stevens Institute of Technology and a registered professional engineer, had been vice president since joining Chester four years ago. He previously worked for Pepco in its Electric System and Engineering and Construction groups. "When I joined Chester, we were nationally recognized as one of the premier underground transmission and distribution cabling contractors," Thompson said. "Now we are also recognized for our additional capabilities in overhead distribution and telecommunications related projects."

In addition to construction, installation, maintenance and repair of underground transmission and distribution cable systems, Chester also offers expert installation of both

overhead and submarine cable systems and fiber optic cable and telecommunications systems. Chester provides the full spectrum of services from turnkey projects to inspection, preventive maintenance and emergency response. With an expanding array of flexible, cost saving services, W. A. Chester is positioned to meet the challenges and opportunities of serving the changing needs of the electric utility and telecommunications industries.

Additional information about W. A. Chester may be found on the company's Web site at www.potomaccapital.com/wachester.html or by calling 202-466-1940.