VIRIDIAN GROUP PLC: Return of Capital and Share Capital Consolidation

Viridian Group PLC

15 August 2005

Return of Capital and Share Capital Consolidation

At the Extraordinary General Meeting of Viridian Group PLC on 8 July 2005
shareholders approved the Return of Capital, by way of a B Share scheme, of 73
pence for each existing ordinary share held at 5 pm on Friday 12 August 2005
and the consolidation of existing ordinary shares on the basis of 9 new
ordinary shares for every 10 existing ordinary shares.

The new ordinary shares have today been admitted to the London Stock Exchange
and the Irish Stock Exchange and commence trading today.

Immediately following the consolidation of the existing ordinary shares of 25
pence each, the Company's issued and fully paid share capital is 120,728,502
new ordinary shares of 277/9 pence each and 134,142,780 redeemable
non-cumulative preference shares ("B Shares"). The B Shares are not listed. In
addition 2,637,922 new ordinary shares have been block listed in relation to
unissued shares which may fall to be issued under employee share schemes as
follows:

- Northern Ireland Electricity plc Executive Share Option Scheme: 12,500 shares

- Viridian Group 1997 Executive Share Option Scheme: 1,112,467 shares

- Viridian Group 1997 Sharesave Scheme: 1,512,955 shares

Further details of the Return of Capital are contained in the Circular to
Shareholders dated 6 June 2005.

For further information please contact:

Ian Thom, Company Secretary +44 (0) 28 9068 9522

Viridian Group PLC's new ordinary shares will continue to trade on the London
Stock Exchange and Irish Stock Exchange under the Trading Symbol "VRD".



END