EPCOR Tower At Station Lands New HQ

The new EPCOR Tower at Station Lands will become the company's downtown Edmonton headquarters. EPCOR Utilities Inc. ("EPCOR") has entered into a 20-year lease at Qualico's Station Lands, commencing January 1, 2012 or earlier.

EPCOR plans to occupy approximately 265,000 square feet on the top floors of the new 28-storey office tower, with options to scale its space requirements up or down during the term of the lease. The 20-year Lease secures enough space to meet EPCOR's current and long-term needs.

"The EPCOR Tower reflects the company's leadership and growth in the power and water business," said President & CEO Don Lowry.

EPCOR Tower will be certified to a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED(R)) Silver standard or higher, reducing energy, water and resource use. EPCOR's EnVest team will work with the developer to design an Environmental Stewardship Program for the building.

The Tower will bring all EPCOR's downtown employees into a single location, and offers a superior combination of environmental leadership, high quality and in-building amenities. "It will help EPCOR attract and retain the talented people the company needs to grow," Lowry continued, "and demonstrates environmental leadership."

Leases at the company's existing Edmonton offices expire at the end of 2011. EPCOR announced earlier in 2007 that it would be considering options for a new headquarters lease in downtown Edmonton. There are currently nearly 1,200 employees at EPCOR's downtown Edmonton offices, with the total projected to rise to 1,367 in 2012.

"EPCOR has more than doubled its revenues and dividend during the past ten years, doubled its employee count, and gone from operating 5 power and water plants to 50 across North America," Lowry explained. "The success to date, and our long-term vision for growth, means that EPCOR needs more space." EPCOR's Long Term Plan calls for capital spending of nearly $4 billion on new power and water projects over the next five years.

The EPCOR Tower will be located on 101st Street, between 104th and 105th Avenue, Northwest of the CN Tower and North of the surface parking lot at the corner of 104 Avenue and 101 Street.

Station Lands is a Qualico project designed by Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd. (Kasian), with construction management services to be provided by Ledcor Construction. The firms, as well as the project sub-consultants, have strong Edmonton roots.