WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The FutureGen Industrial Alliance today announced a site selection process to determine the host site for the world's first coal-fueled "zero emissions" power plant. A draft Request for Proposals (RFP) for public review will be issued in the latter part of February 2006, with a final RFP targeted for release in March 2006. Proposals for the host site will be due by May 2006. Based on an evaluation of the proposals received, the Alliance will develop a list of candidate sites by summer of 2006. Information about the process is provided on the FutureGen Alliance website at http://www.futuregenalliance.org/, which was launched this week. The host site will be selected through an open, competitive process. Candidate sites will be identified by applying a set of technical, environmental, regulatory and financial criteria developed by the Alliance, with input from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), independent technical experts and stakeholders. The criteria will include those typically considered when siting power plants, such as access to water, fuel delivery systems, and transmission lines, as well as requirements that are unique to the FutureGen project, such as the suitability of the site geology for permanent carbon dioxide storage. These criteria will be explained in detail in the RFP. Following the FutureGen Alliance's identification of a list of candidate sites, DOE will use the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process to determine which sites are acceptable from an environmental impact perspective. These sites will be identified by DOE in a public Record of Decision (ROD) by summer 2007. The FutureGen Alliance will choose the final project site early in the fall of 2007 from among those determined to be environmentally acceptable in the ROD. Construction would begin following the completion of the permitting process, with the plant operational by 2012. The FutureGen plant will use cutting-edge technologies to generate electricity and hydrogen from coal while nearly eliminating emissions. It will also support testing and commercialization of technologies to capture and permanently store carbon dioxide. The FutureGen Alliance has an agreement with the DOE to site, develop, and operate the FutureGen plant. Prospective site offerors, architecture and engineering firms, technology suppliers and other service providers are encouraged to monitor the FutureGen Alliance website for opportunities to participate. Inquiries from site offerors will be accepted only through the website. The FutureGen Alliance member companies provide energy to tens of millions of U.S. and international residential, business and industrial customers. Member companies have global operations serving customers in Asia, Australia, Continental Europe, Canada, Mexico and the United States, among other regions. Members of the Alliance include: American Electric Power; BHP Billiton; the China Huaneng Group; CONSOL Energy Inc.; Foundation Coal; Kennecott Energy, a member of the Rio Tinto Group; Peabody Energy; and Southern Company. MEDIA CONTACTS FOR THE PARTICIPANTS Fredrick D. Palmer Senior Vice President -- Government Relations Peabody Energy (314) 342-7624 Pat Hemlepp Director Corporate Media Relations American Electric Power (614) 716-1620 Susan Bauer Media Relations Battelle (509) 375-3688 Patrick Cassidy Director of Public Affairs BHP Billiton (713) 961-8517 Thomas Hoffman Vice President External Affairs CONSOL Energy Inc. (412) 831-4060 Ellen Ewart Vice President Investor and Media Relations Foundation Coal Holdings, Inc. (410) 689-7632 Jun Xiao Acting General Manager International Cooperation Department China Huaneng Group 86-10-62291528 Vic Svec Vice President Public and Investor Relations Peabody Energy (314) 342-7768 Dallas Scholes Manager Government Affairs & Communications Kennecott Energy Company (307) 687-6000 Tiffany Gilstrap Media Relations Southern Company (404) 506-5333 (866) 506-5333 toll free DATASOURCE: The FutureGen Industrial Alliance CONTACT: Fredrick D. Palmer, Senior Vice President - Government Relations of Peabody Energy, +1-314-342-7624, Pat Hemlepp, Director Corporate Media Relations of American Electric Power, +1-614-716-1620, Susan Bauer, Media Relations of Battelle, +1-509-375-3688, Patrick Cassidy, Director of Public Affairs of BHP Billiton, +1-713-961-8517, Thomas Hoffman, Vice President External Affairs of CONSOL Energy Inc., +1-412-831-4060, Ellen Ewart, Vice President, Investor and Media Relations of Foundation Coal Holdings, Inc., +1-410-689-7632, Jun Xiao, Acting General Manager, International Cooperation Department of China Huaneng Group, +86-10-62291528, Vic Svec, Vice President Public and Investor Relations of Peabody Energy, +1-314-342-7768, Dallas Scholes, Manager Government Affairs & Communications of Kennecott Energy Company, +1-307-687-6000, or Tiffany Gilstrap, Media Relations of Southern Company, +1-404-506-5333, +1-866-506-5333 toll free Web site: http://www.futuregenalliance.org/

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