Oct. 6, 2009 (PR Newswire) -- PITTSBURGH, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chief Executive Officers of Pittsburgh-headquartered Plextronics, Westinghouse, Allegheny Energy, EQT, CONSOL Energy and BPL Global today announced that they have founded the United States Center for Energy Leadership (USCEL). The founding members of the Center are:

--  Andy Hannah, CEO of Plextronics
--  Aris Candris, CEO of Westinghouse
--  Paul Evanson, CEO of Allegheny Energy
--  Murry Gerber, CEO of EQT
--  J. Brett Harvey, CEO of CONSOL Energy

--  Keith Schaefer, CEO of BPL Global

According to Plextronics' Andy Hannah, who was a catalyst for the formation of USCEL, the mission of the group is to establish a stable energy environment for the United States that includes energy independence, stable energy pricing and a portfolio approach to meeting increasing energy needs. USCEL will also advocate for new and innovative technological developments that will impact all of these areas. The group will also work to address specific governmental policy, investment and technology issues that have direct bearing on the energy industry.

"The concept behind USCEL was really about the fact that the energy issues facing our country have never been more important, and here we are, in Pittsburgh, with all of the leadership, technological innovation and experience you could ask for to collectively tackle these problems," Hannah said. "While the organizations in this group may represent different and competing segments of the energy industry, it's clear to each of us that there's no one technology that can fulfill all energy demands. Instead, we need to utilize all of our resources to address the energy issues that face this country and develop innovative ways to re-establish the United States as a leader in energy technology development."

Aris Candris, CEO of Westinghouse, added: "USCEL is ideally suited to create and utilize technology and innovation in a manner that will help our nation, and the world, address the energy and environmental challenges we are now facing," he said. "Additionally, the goals of USCEL are completely consistent with those of the United States Department of Energy, which has announced its intention to further strengthen our country's commitment to scientific leadership in these areas."

Pittsburgh as the Home of USCEL

Pittsburgh is ideally suited to be the home of USCEL. The region offers an abundance of natural resources, global business leaders, technology innovation, transportation and infrastructure support, and a university system that generates new technology and a qualified workforce.

"Pittsburgh is the nation's energy capital," said Dennis Yablonsky, CEO of the Allegheny Conference. "Working across energy sectors, Pittsburgh is making the extraction and use of traditional energy sources cleaner and more efficient.