In July 2007 Energy Capital Partners (ECP) through its wholly-owned subsidiary Empire Gen Holdings, Inc., purchased from Besicorp-Empire Development Company (BEDCO), Besicorp-Empire Power Holdings, Inc., which owns 100% of membership interests in Besicorp-Empire Power Company, LLC, which has since been renamed Empire Generating Co, LLC. Empire Generating Co, LLC is the owner and developer of a 635 net megawatt (MW) (including 107 MW of duct firing capacity) combined cycle, natural gas fired power plant in Rensselaer, New York.

ECP and its affiliates have retained FirstLight Power Resources, Inc. and its affiliates (FirstLight) to act as project manager for and operator of the Project.

The project will result in a variety of economic benefits for the region, including the creation of jobs, millions of dollars in local and state tax revenue, and clean, reliable electricity for New York State. These benefits are estimated to total approximately $290 million over a 20 year period.

Empire Generating Co, LLC also provides significant environmental benefits to the community and the state. It is one of the first projects to be accepted into New York State’s voluntary Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP), signed into law by then-Governor George Pataki in October 2003. The program encourages developers to invest their resources in the environmental remediation and redeployment of existing non-productive sites, thereby assuring that these properties will make an economic contribution to the communities in which they are located.

FirstLight is also implementing a Community Liaison Program (CLP) to help streamline communication with surrounding communities and stakeholders regarding construction and operation of the project. The program will be administered by Jim Ginnetti, FirstLight’s Vice President-External Affairs who is serving as the Project’s Community Liaison Officer. FirstLight is also forming a Citizens Committee comprised of local officials and representatives that will meet regularly for project status updates.

Future updates on the Empire Generating Project, including CLP newsletters, Citizens Committee agendas and minutes, and important project milestones will be posted on this site.

Project Benefits

• Payment of property taxes (PILOT).
• Employment of up to 525 union construction workers for over a two year construction period.
• Employment of approximately 20 full time positions.
• The beneficial clean-up and productive redeployment of the BASF site.
• Participation of the Rensselaer County Industrial Development Agency.
• A Host Community Benefit Agreement with the City of Rensselaer.
• A Benefit Agreement with the Rensselaer City School District.

Contacts

• For additional information, contact FirstLight’s Community Liaison Officer, Jim Ginnetti, toll-free at (866) 532-6176 or by email at Empire-Generating-Co-LLC@firstlightpower.com .
• For media inquiries, contact Thomas Nardacci of Gramercy Communications at (518) 694-3034.
• FirstLight’s office located at 152 Broadway in Rensselaer, NY is opening soon.
• For inquiries about full time positions, e-mail Careers@firstlightpower.com. Recruiting for these opportunities will begin sometime after the 3rd quarter of 2008.

Additional Information

Below are links to additional documents concerning the Empire Generating Project:

• Project Timeline (95KB)
• Postcard Mailed 10/17/07 to Property-Owners Abutting the Project (20KB)
• Community Liaison Program (814KB)
• Groundbreaking Ceremony Pictures 11/07/07
• Newsletter - November, 2007 (76KB)
• Newsletter - January, 2008 (1MB)
• Newsletter - March, 2008 (862KB)
• 03/05/08 Construction to Officially Begin on Empire Generating Project (138KB)