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Washington, D.C. - U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced an arrangement with the FutureGen Alliance that advances the construction of the 1st commercial scale, fully integrated, carbon capture and sequestration Plan in the country in Mattoon, Illinois.
"This important step forward for FutureGen reflects this Administration's commitment to rapidly developing carbon capture and sequestration technology as part of a comprehensive project to create jobs, develop clean energy and reduce climate change pollution." said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "The FutureGen Plan holds great promise as a flagship facility to demonstrate carbon capture and storage at commercial scale. Developing this technology is critically important for reducing reenhouse gas emissions in the US, and around the world."
"The arrangement that was reached by the D.O.E. and the FutureGen Alliance is an historic moment for both our state and our country," said Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL). "In my time in Congress, I can't recall a Plan that has greater scientific and practical significance than FutureGen, not to mention the enormous economic benefit it will have in Illinois. I want to thank Secretary Chu for his leadership along with my colleagues in the Senate, members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation and the State of Illinois for working with me to keep this Plan alive for the Obama Administration."
Under the terms of the provisional arrangement between the D.O.E. and the FutureGen Alliance, the Department will issue a Record of Decision on the Plan by the middle of July, with the following activities to be pursued from the end of July 2009 through early 2010:
- Rapid restart of preliminary design activities.
- Completion of a site-specific preliminary design and updated cost estimate.
- Expansion of the Alliance sponsorship group.
- Development of a complete backing plan.
- Potential additional subsurface characterization.
Following the completion of the detailed cost estimate and fundraising activities, the D.O.E. and the FutureGen Alliance will make a decision either to move forward or to discontinue the Plan early in 2010. Both parties agree that a decision to move forward is the preferred outcome and project to reach a revised cooperative arrangement that will include a backing project for the full project. Backing will be phased and conditioned based on completion of NEPA review.
The D.O.E.'s total anticipated financial contribution for the Plan is $1.073 billion, $1 billion of which comes from Recovery Act funds for CCS research. The FutureGen Alliance's total anticipated financial contribution is $400 million to $600 million, based on a goal of 20 member companies each contributing a total of $20 million to $30 million over a 4 to 6 year period. The Alliance, with support from DOE, will pursue options to raise additional non-federal funds needed to build and operate the facility, including options for capturing the value of the facility that will remain after conclusion of the research project, potentially through an auction of the residual interests in the late fall.
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