Willdan Awarded New Contract for SoCalGas Commercial Energy Management Technology for Lodging Program

Willdan Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WLDN) announced today that it has been selected by Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) to implement the utility’s Commercial Energy Management Technology (EMT) for Lodging Program. This two-year, $2.5 million program will bring EMT-system-based, natural-gas-saving energy efficiency projects to participating small and medium-sized lodging customers consuming 50,000 therms or less annually.

This is Willdan’s first pay-for-performance contract that uses the Normalized Metered Energy Consumption method, which measures energy savings based on changes seen at the utility meter instead of savings from deemed measures, energy models, or white paper studies.

“SoCalGas is committed to helping our customers improve energy efficiency and keep their utility bills affordable,” said Dan Rendler, director of customer programs and assistance at SoCalGas. “The Commercial Energy Management Technology for Lodging Program was designed to increase savings to lodging customers through energy efficient upgrades and sophisticated data measurement tools. We are eager to see how the program will help lodging companies use natural gas more efficiently and save money.”

Willdan will begin each project by performing a building energy audit and proposing an energy efficiency project plan based on the customer’s needs and budget. Data measurement commences after new equipment, including the EMT system, have been installed. In addition to measuring and verifying energy savings, Willdan will provide engineering, technical, and administrative assistance to customers through the duration of the program. The Program offers incentives upfront to help offset customer out-of-pocket costs, and upon confirmation of energy savings, customers will receive additional incentives based on actual natural gas savings, capped at 50 percent of project costs.

The Commercial Energy Management Technology for Lodging Program is one of several energy efficiency programs that Willdan has implemented to benefit lodging customers.

About Willdan

Willdan is a nationwide provider of professional technical and consulting services to utilities, government agencies, and private industry. Willdan’s service offerings span a broad set of complementary disciplines that include electric grid solutions, energy efficiency and sustainability, engineering and planning, and municipal financial consulting. For additional information, visit Willdan's website at www.willdan.com.

About SoCalGas

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest natural gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable natural gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Natural gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians—about 60 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.

SoCalGas is committed to investing in its natural gas system infrastructure, while keeping bills affordable for customers. From 2013 through 2017, the company spent nearly $6 billion to upgrade and modernize its natural gas system to enhance safety and reliability. The company is also committed to being a leader in the region's clean energy future, and is working to accelerate the use of renewable natural gas from dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants and the development of renewable energy storage technologies. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not purely historical, including statements regarding Willdan's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, estimates, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk that Willdan will not be able to expand its services or meet the needs of customers in markets in which it operates. It is important to note that Willdan’s actual results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, Willdan’s ability to adequately complete projects in a timely manner, Willdan’s ability to compete successfully in the highly competitive energy efficiency services market, changes in state, local, and regional economies and government budgets, Willdan’s ability to win new contracts, to renew existing contracts (including with its two primary customers) and to compete effectively for contract awards through bidding processes and Willdan’s ability to successfully integrate its acquisitions and execute on its growth strategy. Willdan’s business could be affected by a number of other factors, including the risk factors listed from time to time in Willdan’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed for the year ended December 29, 2017. Willdan cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Willdan disclaims any obligation to, and does not undertake to, update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release.

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