44 megawatt solar thermal augmentation set to begin construction in Queensland, Australia

Melbourne, Australia/Mountain View, Calif., April 13, 2011 - AREVA Solar has been awarded a major contract to install a 44 megawatt solar thermal augmentation project at a 750 megawatt coal-fired power station in Queensland, Australia, representing the largest solar project in the Southern Hemisphere and the world's largest solar/coal-fired power augmentation project.

AREVA Solar's Australian-pioneered Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) technology will be installed at CS Energy's Kogan Creek Power Station. Construction of the solar boost project is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2011, with commercial operation planned for 2013.

The AU$104.7 million Kogan Creek Power Station Solar Boost Project represents the largest deployment of AREVA's solar thermal technology in the world and will generate an additional 44,000 megawatt hours of electricity per year.

AREVA Solar CEO Bill Gallo commended CS Energy on its commitment to low-carbon energy production and adopting renewable energy options to produce cleaner electricity from an existing coal-fired power station.

"The application of AREVA Solar's Australian-pioneered technology to this utility-scale project affirms its far-reaching potential to provide cost-effective, turnkey solutions," Mr. Gallo said.
CS Energy Chief Executive David Brown said the Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project was an exciting development for CS Energy.

"The Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project will generate additional electricity to help meet Queensland's growing energy demand," Mr. Brown said. "By using energy from the sun with AREVA's solar booster application, we will make the coal-fired plant more fuel-efficient and reduce its greenhouse intensity - avoiding the production of 35,600 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually."

The innovative solar project will use AREVA's CLFR superheated solar steam technology to boost the power station's steam generation system, reliably increasing its electrical output and fuel efficiency. This will be achieved by supplying additional steam to the power station's turbine, supplementing the conventional coal-fired steam generation process. The technology uses heat from the sun to convert water to steam, with zero emissions.

The Kogan Creek Power Station is located in Queensland's south west corner, a site ideally suited for a solar thermal system due to its good solar insolation. The power station is already connected to Australia's electricity transmission grid enabling the solar generated power to flow directly into the network to power homes and businesses.

AREVA Solar's CLFR technology is water-conservative and the most land-efficient renewable energy technology available. The solar steam generators and accompanying system are expected to occupy approximately 30 hectares of land within the current boundaries of the CS Energy site.
Up to 120 jobs will be created during the project's peak construction period in line with AREVA Solar's commitment to building local relationships and capabilities as well as providing employment and skills training opportunities.

AREVA will build and operate a manufacturing facility to support the Kogan Creek Power Station Solar Boost Project. The new manufacturing facility will serve as a gateway to support future solar thermal project developments in Queensland, a key global solar market.

AREVA Solar is currently working throughout Australia to supplement the steam supply to existing fossil-fueled plants to reduce emissions or increase plant output. The company also offers superheated solar steam generators for standalone solar thermal power plants.

About AREVA Solar
AREVA Solar is a subsidiary of AREVA Renewables, which is a global manufacturer of CO²-free power generation equipment. AREVA Solar specialises in solar-generated, superheated steam for stand-alone solar thermal plants, power augmentation for coal- and gas-fired power plants, and for industrial process steam processes. AREVA Solar's Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) technology was pioneered in Australia by AUSRA, a small Australian solar technology start-up - which now forms part of AREVA Solar.