WILLIAMSON, W.Va., April 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- At its monthly board meeting Thursday, the Mingo County Redevelopment Authority ("MCRA") announced that, in cooperation with its development partner, TransGas Development Systems, LLC, of New York, the two parties will conduct a groundbreaking ceremony on May 9, 2011, to launch the long awaited construction phase of the Mingo County coal-to-liquids project, to be called Adams Fork Energy.

The ceremony will begin at 11:00 a.m. and will be conducted on the project site at Wharncliffe, West Virginia.  The public is invited to attend.

The Adams Fork Energy plant will convert regional coal into premium grade, ultra clean gasoline, and will produce 18,000 barrels (756,000 gallons) per day.  Following a four year construction period, this plant will create nearly 300 full-time, direct jobs, and is expected to triple the tax base in Mingo County. The facility was permitted by the State of West Virginia's DEP based on PRENFLO PDQ gasification technology provided by Uhde, a wholly owned company of the ThyssenKrupp Group. Uhde is the world leader in coal gasification and has decades of experience in coal gasification.

"With this plant, we rekindle a rebirth of America's self-confidence and competence.  It will produce and displace over 2% of all imported gasoline.  It will create 3,000 construction jobs.  It will demonstrate to all American's and to the world that we are serious about our energy independence and national security.  It will do all of this without a nickel of taxpayers' money.  On this occasion, let us allow ourselves a moment of congratulation to all those who made this project a reality," said Adam Victor, president of TransGas Development Systems.

"This plant will be the first of its kind in the United States," said Mike Whitt, executive director of the MCRA, "and to think that it will be located in Mingo County is almost unimaginable.  This project is the perfect example of what we're doing to diversify our economy by creating good paying jobs and increasing the county's tax base.  We're so grateful for Adam Victor's commitment to this project and to the economic benefits it promises to offer Mingo County."  

The MCRA and TransGas encourage everyone to join them at this ceremony, to witness the beginning of this coal-based, alternative energy project; one that will create a new marketplace for coal-derived fuels, and one that could jump start the entire country's need for energy independence.

SOURCE TransGas Development Systems, LLC