BATON ROUGE, La., Sep 7, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Shaw Group Inc. (NYSE:SGR) announced today that its subsidiary, Shaw Energy Delivery Services, Inc. (Shaw EDS), is providing 210 linemen, 160 trucks and other equipment to the central and east coast regions of Florida to support power restoration efforts following the devastation of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Frances. The line technicians will work with Florida Power & Light (NYSE:FPL), Progress Energy (TSX:PGX.UN) and Sumter Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SECO) to re-establish utility services to customers impacted by the massive storm.

Shaw EDS had approximately 50 people still working in the Port Charlotte area, following Hurricane Charley. Those workers, plus an additional 20 Shaw EDS crews, will move to the east coast today to support Florida Power & Light.

Shaw EDS will provide approximately 80 workers to support Progress Energy near Wildwood, Florida, northwest of Orlando. This group will repair power line transmission and distribution damage in the Central Florida area.

An additional 20 Shaw EDS crews will support Sumter Electric Cooperative's restoration efforts in the Central Florida region. Shaw EDS currently has approximately 40 people working for SECO as part of an existing three-year contract. Those 40 teammates will join the other 20 crews in re-establishing utility services for customers in SECO's coverage area.

William F. Quinn, President of Shaw Transmission and Distribution Services, said, "Our thoughts are with the people of Florida as they recover from Hurricane Frances, the second major hurricane to strike Florida in less than a month. The damage from this storm is widespread and timely repairs will require a tremendous amount of dedicated personnel and resources. We are pleased to once again provide comprehensive emergency response services and Shaw's transmission and distribution expertise to the power restoration efforts."

Shaw EDS provides premier design, installation, upgrade and maintenance power transmission and distribution systems and services that improve reliability and operational efficiencies. Shaw EDS has designed, constructed, and maintained more than 12,500 miles of transmission systems, 70,000 miles of primary distribution lines, and 2,000 substations for clients across the United States and overseas.

The Shaw Group Inc. is a leading provider of consulting, engineering, construction, remediation and facilities management services to government and private sector clients in the environmental, infrastructure and emergency response markets. The Shaw Group is also a vertically integrated provider of comprehensive engineering, consulting, procurement, pipe fabrication, construction and maintenance services to the power and process industries worldwide. A Fortune 500 company with $3.3 billion in revenues in 2003, The Shaw Group debuted on the magazine's "America's Most Admired Companies" list in 2004. Shaw is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and employs approximately 17,000 people at its offices and operations in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Additional information on The Shaw Group is available at www.shawgrp.com.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for certain forward-looking statements. The statements contained herein that are not historical facts (including without limitation statements to the effect that the Company or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "plans," or other similar expressions) and statements related to revenues, earnings, backlog, or other financial information or results are forward-looking statements based on the Company's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by the Company. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions and are subject to change based upon various factors. Should one or more of such risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. A description of some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements can be found in the Company's reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-K and Form 10-Q reports, and on the Company's website under the heading "Forward-Looking Statements". These documents are also available from the Securities and Exchange Commission or from the Investor Relations department of Shaw. For more information on the company and announcements it makes from time to time on a regional basis, visit our website at www.shawgrp.com.

SOURCE: The Shaw Group Inc.

The Shaw Group Inc., Baton Rouge
Chris D. Sammons, 225-932-2546
www.shawgrp.com