PPL is now the tenth member of the alliance, which is facilitating the design, construction and operation of the first "zero-emissions" coal-fuelled power plant and hydrogen production facility with integrated carbon capture and sequestration.

FutureGen Alliance chairman Dr Charles Goodman said PPL's participation reflected a continued interest among US and international energy companies to work towards developing solutions to meet long-term energy challenges through clean energy from coal.

PPL Corporation controls about 12,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the US, sells energy in key US markets, and delivers electricity to more than 5 million customers in Pennsylvania, the United Kingdom and Latin America.

PPL chairman and chief executive William Hecht said the company was excited to join the group and supply the nation's growing demand for energy in an environmentally responsible way.

“The alliance companies are forward-thinking coal and energy companies using 21st century technologies to provide low-cost energy and address climate change," he said.

The alliance has issued a siting proposal and has received 12 project bids from seven states to host FutureGen.

The Department of Energy will review the candidate sites in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act prior to the alliance's selection of a final site by late summer 2007.

The FutureGen Alliance represents some of the world's largest coal companies and electric utilities, including American Electric Power, Anglo American, BHP Billiton, the China Huaneng Group, Consol Energy, Foundation Coal, Rio Tinto Energy America, Peabody Energy and Southern Company.