Working with DBED, County Completes RFI Touting Exceptional Features of Calvert Cliffs for Expansion Efforts

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md., -- August 15, 2005 -- On Friday, County and State officials put the finishing touches on a Request for Information (RFI) that is due to NuStart Energy Development today as part of their nationwide search for a nuclear facility to apply for one of the first combined Construction and Operating Licenses from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in 30 years. The RFI, received by the County on June 15, 2005, in a package from Marilyn Kray, President of NuStart, offered the State and County an opportunity to provide valuable technical, financial, background and community information for NuStart’s consideration in making their final decision.

NuStart is the country’s largest consortium of nuclear energy companies, operating 58 percent of the nation’s nuclear energy plants. The consortium, which includes Constellation Energy, the company that owns and operates Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby, Md., will narrow their choices to two of six sites by October 1, 2005 – one for a General Electric Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor and one for a Westinghouse Advanced Passive 1000 Reactor. Once the two finalist locations are selected, application will be made to the NRC by 2008 and it is expected the new plant will be fully operational by 2014.

Members of County government, including the Department of Economic Development, worked closely with the staff at the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) to carefully craft a package that will make Calvert Cliffs and the State the most attractive option to NuStart in this expansion project.

Linda Vassallo, Director of the Calvert County Department of Economic Development said, “Of course, the incentive opportunities that we have offered to NuStart in this RFI are absolutely confidential at this point in the process but I am certain we have created a package that is unequaled. In fact, in the 10 years I’ve been in the field of economic development, I don’t recall a more lucrative package being put forth by State and County officials; this project is that important.”

The proposed expansion promises to bring 2,000 to 3,000 construction jobs during the four-year construction phase, with an additional 250 to 400 high paying, permanent jobs upon completion of the project. In addition, the potential tax benefits to the County and State are staggering. In FY2005, Constellation Energy contributed $15.3 million in taxes to Calvert County alone and the expansion will net a significant amount of additional tax revenues.

Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant currently houses two nuclear reactors that came online in 1975 and 1977. The facility, originally designed for four reactors, is the only nuclear facility in the State of Maryland and was the first commercial nuclear plant in the United States to receive re-licensing in 2000.

For more information about Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, visit www.calvertcliffs.com.

For more information on the Calvert County, Maryland Department of Economic Development, our visitor sites and attractions and the services available to assist County businesses, call 410.535.4583, 800.331.9771 or 301.855.1880; or send an e-mail to info@ecalvert.com