Kentucky one of six states to publicly bid on experimental plant

A western Kentucky county is one of 10 known places in six states competing to land a $1 billion project to build what's being dubbed as the world's cleanest coal-powered fuel plant.

 

The project is being built and funded by FutureGen Industrial Alliance, a group of coal and utility companies, and the federal government. 

The FutureGen Alliance plans to name finalists this summer, then select a site in the fall of 2007, with plans to begin construction in 2010. Officials say the plant should be operating by 2012 or 2013.

Kevin Shelley, president and CEO of Northwest Kentucky Forward economic development agency in Henderson County, said the number of groups bidding is smaller than expected, which could help Kentucky land the project.

"Ultimately it will be about sites and proposals and which site makes the most sense," Shelley said.

Along with Kentucky - which submitted one potential site - Illinois, Ohio, West Virginia, Texas and Wyoming have publicly announced they submitted prospective locations for the plant.

The FutureGen Alliance and the U.S. Department of Energy have not issued an official list of bidders. Fred Palmer, senior vice president of Peabody Energy Corp., and chairman of external relations for the alliance, said an official list will be released Tuesday.

Illinois nominated four sites, while Ohio and Texas each proposed two sites. West Virginia, and Wyoming submitted one site each in their proposals.

Supporters say the FutureGen project is aimed at testing the technical and economic viability of building and running a coal-fueled power plant with little or no emissions.

Peabody Energy is partnering with Consul Energy, Kennecott Energy, Foundation Coal, American Electric Power, Southern Co., Anglo American, BHP Billiton and the China Huaneng Group in putting up $250 million toward the plant. The U.S. Department of Energy is paying the remaining $750 million.

___

Information from: The Gleaner, http://www.thegleaner.com/