MOSCOW, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL), one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, announces the appointment of a new General Director at its Southern Kuzbass Power Plant OAO subsidiary.

Sergey A. Panov (40), who previously held executive positions at the Kashirskaya State Regional Power Plant, a branch of the First Power Generating Company on the Wholesale Energy Market JSC (OGK-1), was appointed General Director of Mechel's Southern Kuzbass Power Plant OAO subsidiary, succeeding Anatoly Chernakov.

From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Panov worked at the Kashirskaya State Regional Power Plant, a branch of OGK-1, as Deputy Chief Engineer for Operations and Chief of Production and Technical Department. From 1992 to 2005, Mr. Panov worked at the Berezovskaya State Regional Power-I OAO, rising from machinist and trackman to Head of Boiler and Turbine Workshop.

Mr. Panov graduated from the Krasnoyarsk Polytechnic Institute with a degree in Heat and Electric Power Stations, and graduated from the Krasnoyarsk State Academy of Architecture and Building with a degree in Corporate Economy and Management.

'We are pleased that an experienced specialist in the heat power industry, such as Sergey Panov, has joined our team. The Southern Kuzbass Power Plant is one of the leading power generating companies in Kuzbass. This is an important asset for Mechel, which is not only a supplier of electric power to Mechel's subsidiaries in Kuzbass but also a reliable consumer of our steam coal. I am confident that the new management of Southern Kuzbass Power Plant will continue to improve performance and profitability of the energy asset,' Mechel Management OOO Chief Executive Officer Vladimir Polin noted.

Mechel is one of the leading Russian companies. Its business includes three segments: mining, steel, and power. Mechel unites producers of coal, iron ore concentrate, nickel, steel, rolled products, hardware, heat and electric power. Mechel products are marketed domestically and internationally.

Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of Mechel, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. We do not intend to update these statements. We refer you to the documents Mechel files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form 20-F. These documents contain and identify important factors, including those contained in the section captioned 'Risk Factors' and 'Cautionary Note Regarding Forward- Looking Statements' in our Form 20-F, that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, the achievement of anticipated levels of profitability, growth, cost and synergy of our recent acquisitions, the impact of competitive pricing, the ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals and licenses, the impact of developments in the Russian economic, political and legal environment, volatility in stock markets or in the price of our shares or ADRs, financial risk management and the impact of general business and global economic conditions.

SOURCE Mechel OAO