Exhibit 99.1


[Reliant Resources, Inc. logo]                 [Orion Power Holdings, Inc. logo]


                    Orion Power Stockholders Approve Merger
                             with Reliant Resources


HOUSTON and BALTIMORE, Dec. 14/PRNewswire/ -- Reliant Resources, Inc. (NYSE:
RRI) and Orion Power Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ORN) announced that the stockholders
of Orion Power overwhelmingly approved the merger between the two companies at
the Orion Power special stockholders' meeting held today. The merger received
the favorable vote of 99.9% of the shares that were voted and 82.3% of the
outstanding shares of Orion Power.

Reliant Resources' Chairman and CEO, Steve Letbetter, commented, "We are pleased
that the Orion Power stockholders approved the merger today. Our transaction is
progressing on schedule, and we look forward to combining these two strong
companies into a leader in the emerging merchant energy industry and quickly
bringing value to our shareholders."


Orion Power's President and Chief Executive Officer, Jack Fusco, said, "We are
pleased to have satisfied this condition to our merger, and we still anticipate
closing the transaction in early 2002. We are working closely with Reliant
Resources to obtain the regulatory approvals we need to expeditiously complete
the process."

The terms of the merger provide for Reliant Resources to acquire all of the
outstanding shares of Orion Power for $26.80 per share in cash, or a total of
approximately $2.9 billion. As previously announced, the waiting period for the
merger under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act will expire on
December 21, 2001, unless terminated earlier or extended. In addition, Reliant
Resources and Orion Power have made all necessary filings with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission and the New York Public Service Commission and are
now awaiting those approvals.

Reliant Resources, based in Houston, Texas, provides electricity and energy
services to wholesale and retail customers in the U.S. and Europe. The company
has nearly 18,000 megawatts of power generation capacity in operation, under
construction or under contract in the U.S. and is one of only five companies to
rank among both the ten largest power marketers and the ten largest natural gas
marketers in North America. Reliant Resources also has wholesale trading and
marketing operations and nearly 3,500 megawatts of power generation in operation
in Western Europe. At the retail level, Reliant Resources provides energy
services and will serve approximately 1.7 million customers in Texas when the
electricity market opens to full retail competition in January 2002. Reliant
Resources currently is a majority owned subsidiary of Reliant Energy,
Incorporated (NYSE: REI).

Orion Power Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, MD, is a fast-growing
independent electric power generating company formed in March 1998 to acquire,
develop, own and operate power-generating facilities in the newly deregulated
wholesale markets throughout North America. Since its inception, Orion Power has
invested over $4 billion in 81 power plants currently in operation with a total
capacity of 5,926 megawatts and an additional 5,000 megawatts in construction
and various stages of development. For more information about Orion Power, visit
its website at www.orionpower.com.




This press release includes "forward-looking statements" as defined by the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Such statements are those concerning the
contemplated transaction and strategic plans, expectations and objectives for
future operations. All statements, other than statements of historical facts,
included in this press release that address activities, events or developments
that the companies expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future
are forward-looking statements. This includes completion of the proposed
transaction, realization of expected synergies from the transaction, financing
for the transaction, future commodity prices, future financial performance, and
other matters. These statements are based on certain assumptions made by the
companies based on their experience and perception of historical trends, current
conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe are
appropriate in the circumstances. Such statements are subject to a number of
assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of
the companies. These risks include, but are not limited to, market conditions,
economic conditions, environmental risks and regulatory changes. Investors are
cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and
that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected
in the forward-looking statements.

For further information please contact Dennis Barber (investors) at 713-207-3042
or Sandy Fruhman (media) at 713-207-3123 of Reliant Resources or Rahul Advani of
Orion Power at 410-230-3528.