Texas Governor Perry Submits Two Final Offers for FutureGen Project

Jewett, Odessa Proposals Among Four Finalists for $1.5 Billion Clean Energy Project

Aug. 01, 2007 -- AUSTIN – Texas Governor Rick Perry today submitted Texas' final offers to the FutureGen Industrial Alliance for Jewett or Odessa to become home to the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) FutureGen project, a $1.5 billion public-private initiative to build an innovative, near-zero emissions coal power plant. Based on initial proposals, the two Texas sites were chosen last July, along with two other finalists in Illinois, to remain in the national competition to host FutureGen. The FutureGen Industrial Alliance is a non-profit consortium of energy producers formed to partner with DOE for this initiative.

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“Both proposals exemplify the extraordinary resources of our state, and the FutureGen Industrial Alliance can be confident that its historic project will be a success at either Texas site,” Perry said. “Given our state's energy expertise, strong business climate and innovative leadership, I am confident that Texas will be the future home of FutureGen.”

Both Texas’ two offers feature strong public-private partnerships with major corporations such as Luminant, NRG Energy and Kinder Morgan, who have committed substantial resources to our proposals. Should a Texas site be chosen, dozens of other businesses are capable of supporting all aspects of the FutureGen project, from carbon dioxide sequestration to the development of hydrogen technology.

The Texas effort has been directed by Texas Railroad Chairman Michael L. Williams, who chairs the FutureGen Texas team, and by state geologist Dr. Scott Tinker, director of the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas, which reviewed and helped assemble the Texas proposals.

"Time and again, Texas has fulfilled requests made by the Alliance, including our offer of valuable financial incentives and unmatched liability protection,” Perry said. "I am pleased the Texas Legislature helped develop our proposals and understands the importance of clean energy to the future of our state and nation, and have helped lay the foundation for the development of FutureGen and the technologies that will better protect our environment.”

The Alliance is expected to announce the winning site by the end of 2007.

Source: Texas Governor