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Xcel Energy to purchase electricity from Fibrowatt affiliate

English company plans to build power plant fueled by poultry litter

MINNEAPOLIS - Xcel Energy Inc., formed earlier this month by the merger of Minneapolis-based Northern States Power Co. and Denver-based New Century Energies, has added poultry litter to its roster of renewable energy sources.

Xcel Energy will purchase 50 megawatts from Fibrominn LLC, an affiliate of England-based Fibrowatt, pending approval by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Fibrowatt has developed a process for generating electricity by burning poultry litter, and its Minnesota affiliate Fibrominn plans to build, own and operate a plant in central Minnesota that uses poultry litter as the primary fuel. Fibrowatt owns and operates three poultry litter-fired plants in England.

"We're pleased to add another resource to our energy mix," said Al Krug, regulatory contract coordinator for Xcel Energy. "With its plants in England, Fibrowatt has proven that poultry litter is a viable, renewable energy source, and we're looking forward to helping pioneer its use as a new source of energy in the United States."

With the Fibrominn contract, Xcel Energy fulfills a 1994 Minnesota legislative requirement to purchase 125 megawatts of biomass-generated power in exchange for clearance to store spent nuclear fuel in up to 17 casks outside its Prairie Island plant in Red Wing.

Previous biomass contracts were signed with EPS/Beck Power LLC, for 50 megawatts generated by burning fast-growing poplar trees, and St. Paul Cogeneration LLC, for 25 megawatts generated by burning wood waste.

A megawatt provides enough electricity to light 1,000 homes.