Press Releases

Twelve sites in seven states are in the running to host FutureGen, the world's cleanest coal-fueled power plant. The power plant will generate electricity and hydrogen while capturing and permanently storing carbon dioxide deep underground.

In response to a March 7 public Request for Proposals issued by the FutureGen Alliance, formal proposals were received by the May 4 deadline to host the project in or near:

   -- Effingham, Ill.
   -- Marshall, Ill.
   -- Mattoon, Ill.
   -- Tuscola, Ill.
   -- Henderson County, Ky.
   -- Bowman County, N.D.
   -- Meigs County, Ohio
   -- Tuscarawas County, Ohio
   -- Odessa, Texas
   -- Jewett, Texas
   -- Point Pleasant, W.Va.
   -- Gillette, Wyo.

Alliance Chief Executive Officer Mike Mudd said, "The level of interest and number of proposals indicate the growing recognition of the important role that technologies using abundant, low-cost coal will play in securing our energy future with affordable electricity and minimal environmental impacts."

"The Alliance companies are among the world's most responsible and forward-thinking coal and energy companies," U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman said as he praised the seven states for offering host sites. "FutureGen will be a stepping stone toward a cleaner, more energy-secure future. We are extremely pleased that we have twelve quality locations now in the running. One of these sites ultimately will become known worldwide as the place where a new generation of zero-emission energy plants made its debut," Bodman said.

The Alliance will evaluate the proposals over the coming months, using a rigorous process and comprehensive set of criteria developed by the Alliance with input from an independent group of technical experts. The Alliance will decide upon a short list of candidate sites by late summer. DOE will review the candidate sites in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act prior to the Alliance's selection of a final site by late-summer 2007.

FutureGen requires a greater than 200-acre-site with transportation infrastructure, access to transmission interconnections and skilled labor, and other characteristics that make it suitable for hosting a 275-megawatt coal-fueled advanced Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle power plant. The site must also have geological characteristics that will provide meaningful data to support the long-term permanent storage of carbon dioxide at other sites in the United States and abroad.

The facility is being designed to use a suite of integrated, innovative technologies to generate electricity and produce hydrogen. Further, the facility will incorporate advanced emission control technologies coupled with carbon dioxide capture and geologic sequestration; in combination, these advanced technologies will result in the plant having virtually no emissions. More information about FutureGen can be found on the Alliance's website http://www.futuregenalliance.org/ .

The FutureGen Alliance represents some of the world's largest coal companies and electric utilities including: American Electric Power, Anglo American, BHP Billiton, the China Huaneng Group, CONSOL Energy Inc., Foundation Coal, Kennecott Energy Company, a member of the Rio Tinto group, Peabody Energy and Southern Company. The Alliance has partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy to design and build the facility.

These companies provide energy to tens of millions of residential, business, and industrial customers in Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, the People's Republic of China, South Africa and the United States, among other regions.

                              MEDIA CONTACT

                            Fredrick D. Palmer
                      FutureGen Industrial Alliance
                    External Relations Committee Chair
                              (314) 342-7624

SOURCE: FutureGen Industrial Alliance