TransAlta Announces 2012 Alberta Winter Games Sponsorship

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - June 23, 2011) - TransAlta (TSX:TA) (NYSE:TAC) is pleased to announce its diamond level sponsorship of the 2012 Alberta Winter Games, to be held in the communities of Stony Plain, Spruce Grove and Parkland County from February 9-12.

"TransAlta believes in playing an important role in the communities where our employees live and work and we take great pride in supporting the 2012 Alberta Winter Games," said Dawn de Lima, Chief Human Resources Officer. "Volunteers are at the heart of staging a successful Winter Games and we're pleased to help them make these Games truly memorable."

As part of its $100,000 sponsorship, TransAlta will provide clothing for up to 3,000 volunteers. Employees and retirees are also being encouraged to get involved as volunteers.

"TransAlta's people are incredibly active in the community. The Winter Games will be a great opportunity for them to get involved in this exceptional experience," de Lima said.

"On behalf of the Tri-Region 2012 Alberta Winter Games Society, I extend a heartfelt thank you to TransAlta for their diamond level sponsorship. TransAlta has long been a leader in our community and continues to show leadership through their pledge to fund volunteer attire and efforts to encourage employee participation. Volunteers will play a critical role in the hosting of the Games and the support of TransAlta employees, both past and present, will help create a first class event for all to enjoy. Again, we thank TransAlta and all its employees for their generous support and we look forward to having them as our partners," said 2012 Alberta Winter Games Chairman, Brad Schneider.

To register as a volunteer with the Games visit: www.2012awg.ca/volunteers/current-opportunities

TransAlta is a power generation and wholesale marketing company focused on creating long-term shareholder value. TransAlta maintains a low-to-moderate risk profile by operating a highly contracted portfolio of assets in Canada, the United States and Australia. TransAlta's focus is to efficiently operate our biomass, geothermal, wind, hydro, natural gas and coal facilities in order to provide our customers with a reliable, low-cost source of power. For 100 years, TransAlta has been a responsible operator and a proud contributor to the communities where we work and live. TransAlta is recognized for its leadership on sustainability by the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index, the FTSE4Good Index and the Jantzi Social Index. TransAlta is Canada's largest investor-owned renewable energy provider.

The 2012 Alberta Winter Games will take place in the Tri Municipal Region (Stony Plain, Spruce Grove and Parkland County) from February 9-12. These Games provide the opportunity for many of Canada's future elite athletes to enjoy their first taste of competition at a provincial level. The weekend will include 22 different sporting competitions featuring more than 2,800 athletes, coaches, officials, and a multi-faceted cultural program including performing, visual and literary artists.