News Release Details

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 7, 2009-- CRA International, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRAI), a worldwide leader in providing management, economic, and financial consulting services, today announced its role in developing a master electrical transmission plan for New York City. CRA was retained by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to analyze the economic and environmental impacts of various proposed and conceptual transmission and generation projects that could improve the supply of power to New York City. The study, titled "A Master Electrical Transmission Plan for New York City", also provides recommendations for further action to meet New York City’s energy needs in an efficient and clean manner. It was conducted in coordination with the local electric utilities, state regulatory agencies for New York and New Jersey, and state and regional agencies responsible for managing the power grid.

“We are pleased to offer our economic expertise and deep knowledge of electric generation and transmission to assist the City of New York in shaping its future energy infrastructure,” said James C. Burrows, CRA's President and Chief Executive Officer. “The study is an economic evaluation of transmission options to serve New York City’s energy needs and offers some fact-based analysis and conclusions on potentially valuable initiatives.”

“The study that we have completed with CRA International is an important milestone in planning the regional transmission grid serving New York City," said Jim Gallagher, Senior Vice President of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. "CRA's analyses will be crucial to guiding our decisions and ensuring a cost-effective and clean power supply for the City well into the future.”

The CRA team analyzed specific commercial projects proposed in New York City and the region, upgrades to current transmission and electric generation sources, and conceptual projects that could meet future needs. The team analyzed historical transmission congestion and market conditions, designed a methodology with stakeholders, collaboratively identified potential solutions, and analyzed projects according to multiple metrics and criteria, both economic and environmental. The study concluded that:

• Due to a projected surplus of generating capacity in New York City over the next several years, decision-makers have adequate time to evaluate options and choose the right path forward
• From the consumer’s perspective, a new, highly-efficient and clean in-City power plant was judged superior to the transmission projects analyzed
• A new in-City power plant would reduce market prices, create jobs, increase tax revenues and reduce environmental emissions by displacing the output of older, less efficient in-City plants
• Other projects that could create significant benefits to the region include a proposed transmission upgrade project from Albany to Westchester County, and a proposed transmission cable under the Hudson River from Northern New Jersey to midtown Manhattan

The study also identifies numerous projects to supply New York City’s energy needs, including offshore wind farms, large transmission lines, conventional generating technologies, and increased imports from other states and regions.

Consultants and economists from CRA’s Energy & Environment Practice prepared the study and included Christopher Russo, Scott Niemann and Robert Stoddard.

A copy of the full study may be obtained at: http://www.nycedc.com/NewsPublications/Studies/MasterElectricTransmissionPlanforNYC/Pages/MasterElectricTransmissionPlanforNYC.aspx or http://www.crai.com/ConsultingExpertise/listingdetails.aspx?id=10994&tID=828&subtID=0&tertID=0&fID=34&SectionTitle=Energy+%26+Environment.

About CRA International's Energy & Environment Practice

CRA's Energy & Environment Practice provides expert economic and business consulting services to a wide range of electricity industry clients around the world. With years of industry experience and exceptional strength in analytics, the practice's consultants offer management and economic expertise in every phase of the electricity production cycle--from fuel procurement to retail strategy--as well as hands-on experience helping clients manage market power, environmental policy and regulatory issues. CRA has pioneered techniques and models that have become industry standards, including competitive market designs, efficient bidding mechanisms, creative financial transactions and methodologies to assess market power.

Electric transmission system owners, operators and users, as well as the regulatory agencies that oversee them turn to CRA for its unique combination of economic and engineering expertise in transmission issues. CRA's consultants have provided input for all of the major U.S. regulatory policy debates and have authored more publicly-reviewed cost/benefit studies of Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) than any other consulting firm. Whether developing tariff design or performing strategic studies, CRA delivers rigorous economic analyses of the industry's most technical function.

CRA is also the premier economic consulting firm on competitive electricity market design and restructuring. CRA has been involved in all of the market design proceedings in North America and has restructured electricity markets worldwide. Expertise spans wholesale, retail and transmission markets, including the regulatory structures that govern them, and focuses on three core areas: efficient electricity market design, implementation and transition. For more information about the practice, contact Robert Stoddard, Practice Leader, at rstoddard@crai.com.

About CRA International

Founded in 1965, CRA International is a leading global consulting firm that offers economic, financial and business management expertise to major law firms, businesses, accounting firms and governments. CRA's consultants combine uncommon analytical rigor with practical experience and in-depth understanding of industries and markets. CRA is adept at handling critical, tough assignments with high-stakes outcomes. CRA's analytical strength enables it to reach objective, factual conclusions that help clients make important business and policy decisions and resolve critical disputes. Headquartered in Boston, CRA has offices throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Detailed information about CRA is available at http://www.crai.com.

Statements in this press release concerning the expected use of CRA’s expertise, the future business, operating results, estimated cost savings, and financial condition of the Company and statements using the terms “anticipates,” “believes,” “expects,” “should,” or similar expressions, are “forward-looking” statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon management's current expectations and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties. Information contained in these forward-looking statements is inherently uncertain and actual performance and results may differ materially due to many important factors. Such factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements made by the Company include, among others, the Company’s restructuring costs and attributable annual cost savings, changes in the Company’s effective tax rate, share dilution from the Company’s convertible debt offering and stock-based compensation, dependence on key personnel, attracting and retaining qualified consultants, dependence on outside experts, utilization rates, factors related to its acquisitions, including integration of personnel, clients, offices, and unanticipated expenses and liabilities, the risk of impairment write downs to the Company’s intangible assets, including goodwill, if the Company’s enterprise value declines below certain levels, risks associated with acquisitions it may make in the future, risks inherent in international operations, the performance of NeuCo, changes in accounting standards, rules and regulations, changes in the law that affect its practice areas, management of new offices, the potential loss of clients, the ability of customers to terminate the Company’s engagements on short notice, dependence on the growth of the Company’s business consulting practice, the unpredictable nature of litigation-related projects, the ability of the Company to integrate successfully new consultants into its practice, general economic conditions, intense competition, risks inherent in litigation, and professional liability. Further information on these and other potential factors that could affect the Company’s financial results is included in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cannot guarantee any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievement. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of its forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.

Source: CRA International, Inc.

CRA International, Inc.
Andrea Goodman, 617-425-3333
Director of Communications
or
Sharon Merrill Associates
Jim Buckley, 617-542-5300
Executive Vice President