NEW YORK –– Surging energy prices in the United States gave oil, gas
                  and power companies new fuel in their ascension of the annual Fortune 500.

                  Oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp. surpassed automaker General Motors Corp.,
                  rising to No. 1 from No. 3 with the company's highest-ever $210 billion in
                  revenue for 2000. GM, which had revenue of $184.6 billion, fell to No. 3.

                  Other energy companies fared well in 2000, with Enron Corp., at No. 7,
                  rising from No. 18. Duke Energy Corp. shot up to No. 17 from 69 and
                  Reliant Energy Inc. made it up to No. 55 from 114.

                  Energy companies benefited from a surge in revenue brought about by
                  falling supplies, utility deregulation, soaring natural gas prices and OPEC's
                  maneuvering to keep oil prices high. In the past year, crude oil has sold for
                  as much as $30 a barrel, while in some parts of the United States last
                  summer, gasoline cost more than $2 a gallon.

                  Other energy firms advancing included Texaco Inc., which went from No.
                  28 to No. 16; Chevron Corp., which was ranked No. 20, up from No. 35;
                  and Dynegy Inc., which rose to No. 54 from No. 112.

                  San Francisco-based Chevron agreed to buy Texaco last October for $35.1
                  billion in stock, plus assumed debt of $7.5 billion. The deal is expected to
                  close this summer pending review by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

                  The top 10 also included Ford Motor Co. at No. 4, a position it held last year.
                  General Electric stayed at the No. 5 position while Citigroup Inc., the big
                  financial services company, rose from seventh place to No. 6.