Washington Division of URS Corporation leads joint venture in Sellafield management bid

Westlakes, Cumbria, (26 March 2007) - A joint venture comprising URS Washington Division, AMEC and AREVA has reached the next stage of the bid process to manage the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria.

Nuclear Management Partners brings together a unique capability focused on delivering the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's aim and objectives. In particular, the team has a strong safety culture, experience of delivering change and innovation and a track record of open and transparent engagement with a wide range of stakeholders.

What promises to be a highly competitive bidding process will culminate in a final decision as to who will take over from British Nuclear Group and manage the site from mid-2008 on a contract worth up to £1.3 billion a year.

"The Sellafield competition is an exciting opportunity and the members of this joint venture offer a unique capability based on performance worldwide and recognised by their market-leading positions in the industry in the UK, USA and France," said Tom Zarges, President of URS Washington Division. "We are excited to be able to strengthen our Sellafield offering with the expertise of AMEC and AREVA."

Samir Brikho, AMEC Chief Executive, said: "AMEC is delighted to be part of Nuclear Management Partners, a formidable joint venture that combines exactly the right blend of nuclear and commercial expertise. We look forward to bringing our world-class capabilities to the safe and cost-effective management of the Sellafield site."

Jacques Besnainou, AREVA Senior Executive Vice-President, said: "AREVA is delighted to work with our partners in supporting the NDA at Sellafield, where we can contribute our unique experience in spent fuel and high-level waste management"

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Notes to Editors

URS Washington Division is one of the world's leading engineering, construction and project management companies, with approximately 25,000 employees in over 30 countries. The company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: WNG) and Nasdaq (Nasdaq: WGII.)

Over the last 60 years it has developed particular expertise in nuclear engineering and nuclear waste management and is the market leader in the environmental management, nuclear waste management and clean-up of nuclear sites for the US Government. It has the best safety record in the US nuclear industry and since 1989 it has been the lead contractor for the Savannah River Site, the US equivalent to Sellafield.

It has also been responsible for the design, construction and operation of the first deep geological repository in the US licensed to dispose of nuclear waste. It has worked in the UK since 1999 as a contractor to BNFL, the UK Low Level Waste Repository and various Magnox stations and has provided consultancy services to the NDA.

AMEC plc is an international project management and services company that designs, delivers and supports infrastructure assets for customers across the public and private sectors. AMEC employs more than 20,000 people working from a network of offices throughout the UK, US and Canada, as well as regional offices and projects worldwide. AMEC's shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange where the company is listed in the Support Services sector (LSE: AMEC.L).

AMEC is the largest UK-based private sector supplier of programme management and engineering services to the nuclear sector. The business builds on AMEC's 50 year's experience in the nuclear market and clients include BNFL, British Energy, UKAEA, AWE Aldermaston and a wide range of international nuclear utilities.

AREVA is the world leader in nuclear power and the only company to cover all industrial activities in this field. AREVA has developed unique experience in spent fuel and high-level waste management and the company's 58,000 employees are committed to continuous improvement on a daily basis, making sustainable development the focal point of the group's industrial strategy. AREVA has manufacturing facilities in 40 countries and a sales network in more than 100 and offers customers reliable technological solutions for CO2-free power generation and electricity transmission and distribution.