TOTAL and Electricité de France (EDF) have launched their joint project to build an Integrated Gasification and Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant near TOTAL's Normandy Refinery at Gonfreville. The plant is scheduled to come on stream in late 2003.

The project will deploy a complex process that integrates a gasification technology (TEXACO) and a combined cycle, optimizing the use of heavy oil cuts from the Normandy Refinery to produce electricity, together with process steam and gas.

The plant at Gonfreville will be the first IGCC facility in France and will require a capital investment of around FF 4 billion. Plans call for the creation of a company owned primarily by TOTAL (35-40%), EDF (30-35%) and Texaco (20-25%) to finance, build and operate the facility. A joint TOTAL/EDF/TEXACO project implementation team has been established.

The net electrical output capacity of the IGCC will be 365 MW, that of steam 250 metric tons per hour and that of hydrogen 50-150 metric tons per day. Most of the electricity will be sold to EDF, while the process steam and gas will supply local or regional oil and chemicals companies, particularly TOTAL.

The project is the first major cooperative venture between TOTAL and EDF. It will provide high energy efficiency and is well-suited with future environmental standards, thereby reinforcing the Normandy Refinery's long-term competitiveness.

With this project, TOTAL and EDF will develop joint expertise in new power generation technology in France and abroad, where a number of cooperative projects are under study.