Fort Mojave Tribal Utility Will Install 3M’s High-Capacity ACCR Conductor

For Link to Western Area Power’s ACCR Upgrade Along the Colorado River
----
Aha Macav Power Service Is First Native American Utility to Deploy Breakthrough
Transmission Technology; Line Will Serve Reservation and City of Needles, CA

ST. PAUL, MN, January 3, 2007 – Aha Macav Power Services, a utility owned and operated by the
Fort Mojave Tribe in the Southwest, will become the first Native American utility to deploy 3M
Brand Aluminum Conductor Composite Reinforced (ACCR), a revolutionary heat-sag-resistant
overhead conductor that can carry more than twice the power of conventional lines of the same
diameter.

Under an agreement with the Western Area Power Administration (Western), Aha Macav will
install a new four-mile 3M ACCR line linking a new substation in Arizona to a switchyard in
Needles, CA, a city on the western bank of the Colorado River. The new line will substantially
boost power capacity and reliability for Needles and the surrounding area, which have been plagued
by frequent electricity outages in recent years, often during periods of extreme high temperature.

“This is one of the most important and exciting projects we’ve seen here in many years,” said
Robert Walker, utility manager for the city of Needles. “It will end our power constraint and open
up a world of possibility in terms of economic development.”

William Cyr, general manager of Aha Macav Power Services, said the project, “provides a great
benefit, both to our residents on the Fort Mojave Indian reservation and our neighbors in Needles.
3M ACCR represents a substantial technological advance in power transmission reliability that will
contribute to economic growth and reduce the danger of power failures that pose a threat to health
and safety.”
(more)
 Fort Mojave Tribal Utility to Install 3M’s ACCR Conductor…page 2

The Fort Mojave Tribe, whose reservation encompasses portions of eastern California, southern
Nevada and western Arizona, is one of only a handful of tribes served by its own utility.
Installation of the 3M ACCR is scheduled for next September.

Seven major U.S. utilities are already using or installing 3M ACCR, including Arizona Public
Service in Phoenix, and Western, which is employing it to upgrade the reliability of the 80-mile
Topock-Davis-Lake Mead line that parallels the Colorado River along Arizona’s western border
with California and extends to Boulder Dam. The Aha Macav ACCR line will be linked to
Western’s Topock-Davis-Lake Mead ACCR line.

Tim Koenig, who heads 3M’s composite conductor business, said deployment of 3M ACCR by
utilities across the nation is accelerating because of the technology’s proven performance under a
wide range of rugged climate conditions.

“We are excited to see 3M ACCR chosen as the solution to power this region, which experiences
extremely hot temperatures. This is a new connection to Needles that did not exist previously,
giving the city access to a low-cost, reliable power supply," Koenig said. He noted also that 3M
ACCR has already had significant exposure to extreme Southwest desert conditions, having been
extensively field tested in Arizona by Western and the Salt River Project near Phoenix. “Lines in
Phoenix and in Minneapolis have been subjected to extremely high electrical loads, particularly
during the summer heat wave, and have consistently and reliably performed as expected.”

3M ACCR was developed with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy, which tested the
conductor at its Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee, and with early contributions
by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The ORNL tests demonstrated the
conductor’s integrity after exposure to temperatures even higher than the rated continuous operating
temperature of 210 degrees Celsius, which provides a significant safety factor. The fact that 3M
ACCR is based on aluminum means the conductor is not adversely affected by environmental
conditions, such as moisture or UV exposure, and it has the durability typically associated with
aluminum-based conductors.
(more)
 Fort Mojave Tribal Utility to Install 3M’s ACCR Conductor…page 3

3M ACCR’s strength and durability result from its aluminum oxide (alumina) fibers, which are
embedded in the high purity 3M aluminum matrix core wires, utilizing a highly specialized and
patented process. The constituent materials are chemically compatible with each other and can
withstand high temperatures without adverse chemical reactions or any appreciable loss in strength.

3M holds 14 patents on this new technology. 3M ACCR has been recognized by R&D Magazine
with an R&D 100 Award as one of the most technologically significant products introduced into the
marketplace and by the Minnesota High Tech Association with a Tekne Award for innovative
development. In addition, 3M ACCR was one of the technologies that President George W. Bush
viewed during a recent visit to 3M. The Business Week – Boston Consulting Group 2006 survey
ranked 3M as the third most innovative company, behind Apple and Google.

More information about the 3M Composite Conductor is available at www.3M.com/accr.

About 3M – A Global, Diversified Technology Company

Every day, 3M people find new ways to make amazing things happen. Wherever they are, whatever
they do, the company’s customers know they can rely on 3M to help make their lives better. 3M's
brands include Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and
Vikuiti. Serving customers in more than 200 countries around the world, the people of 3M use their
expertise, technologies and global strength to lead in major markets, including consumer and office;
display and graphics; electronics and telecommunications; safety, security and protection services;
health care; industrial and transportation. For more information, including the latest product and
technology news, visit www.3M.com.

Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti are trademarks
of 3M.

- 30 -

From:
3M Public Relations and Corporate Communications
3M Center, Building 225-1S-15
St. Paul, MN 55144-1000
Contacts:

Colleen Horn Harris Bob Rumerman James T. Kimer

3M Public Relations LVM Group Inc. LVM Group Inc.
651-733-1566 212-499-6567 212-499-6571
cahornharris1@mmm.com bob@lvmgroup.com james@lvmgroup.com