Environmental Defense Welcomes Apparent Benefits of Capture and Storage Power Plant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim Marston, Environmental Defense, 512.478.5161-w or 512.289.5293-w
Media Contact: Chris Smith, Environmental Defense, 512.691.3451-w or 512.659.9264-c csmith@environmentaldefense.org

(Austin – February 19, 2008) Tenaska announced today plans to develop a site near Sweetwater, Texas, where it will build a coal-fueled electric generating plant able to capture up to 90 percent of the carbon dioxide produced. The carbon dioxide would be sold for use in enhancing oil production in the Permian Basin, potentially resulting in geologic storage of the carbon dioxide underground.

The following statement can be attributed to Jim Marston, director of the Texas Regional Office of Environmental Defense:

“Environmental Defense welcomes Tenaska’s announcement today. It appears to have many environmentally preferable characteristics, including:

• A plan to capture 90% of carbon dioxide emissions, which includes commitment to design and build a power plant with carbon-capture equipment.
• A plan to work with oil producers to use captured carbon dioxide for Enhanced Oil Recovery and sequester the carbon dioxide permanently.
• Dry cooling, meaning reduced water use.
• A preferable location in the western part of Texas that is not upwind of Texas cities with existing air pollution problems.

We look forward to discussing with Tenaska ways to make legally binding the promises they have made concerning the capture and storage of their carbon dioxide emissions so that we do not oppose their applications for a permit.”