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                       Cogeneration Corporation of America
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                                                                    NEWS RELEASE
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                   CogenAmerica Directors Initiate Discussions
               With Northern States Power to Resolve Board Issues


Minneapolis, MN, October 7, 1998 - The Committee of Independent Directors of
Cogeneration Corporation of America (CogenAmerica) (Nasdaq: CGCA) acknowledged
today that it has initiated discussions with Northern States Power (NSP) and its
wholly-owned subsidiary NRG Energy, Inc., a minority shareholder of
CogenAmerica, seeking to resolve issues of corporate governance. The independent
directors expressed disappointment over today's court filing by NRG Energy.

Spyros S. Skouras, Jr., chairman of the independent directors committee of
CogenAmerica, said, "The company, the independent committee and the NRG board
members are aware of NRG Energy's request for CogenAmerica's stockholder list
and the responsibility and obligation of the full CogenAmerica board to respond
to that request in accordance with corporate governance. It is unfortunate that
NRG Energy has escalated this matter to the courts, as they announced via press
release today. However, we are continuing to seek mutually acceptable resolution
with NSP and NRG Energy concerning the issues disclosed in NRG's 13(d) proxy
filing."

The committee of independent directors is a standing committee of CogenAmerica's
Board of Directors that was created under the company's bylaws at the time the
company emerged from bankruptcy in April 1996. The committee of Independent
Directors oversees certain relationships between the company and NRG Energy. The
committee is composed of Spyros S. Skouras, Jr., Lawrence Littman and Charles
Thayer. A description of the committee and its members and their relationship to
the company is contained in the company's most recent annual proxy statement on
file with the SEC.

CogenAmerica and its subsidiaries develop and own cogeneration projects that
produce electricity and thermal energy for sale to industrial and commercial
users and public utilities. Approximately 45% of the outstanding common shares
of CogenAmerica are owned by NRG Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northern
States Power Company (NYSE: NSP)

For additional information contact Frank N. Hawkins, Jr. or Julie Marshall at
Hawk Associates, Inc. (305) 852-2383. Copies of CGCA press releases, SEC
filings, current price quotes and other valuable information for investors may
be found on the website http://www.hawkassociates.com