Media contact: Libba Letton, 1-800-776-5272, Ext. 2657; Krista Umscheid, Ext. 3365

WINCHESTER -- LCRA is hosting an open house Dec. 6 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Zilss Memorial Hall, 108 Memorial Hall Dr., in Winchester to share information and answer questions about its plans to build a small natural gas-fired facility on land recently purchased in the area.

LCRA is planning to build a 200-megawatt "peaker" plant that could be in commercial operation for the summer of 2009. Such "peaking" technologies can provide a less expensive, quick-start capability to be used during times of peak energy use. Peak use can happen at any time but may occur on very hot summer afternoons or cold winter days. The facility will be designed to help LCRA keep down the cost of power to its wholesale electric customers.

The facility will be called Winchester Power Park and will be fueled by clean-burning natural gas. The project includes construction of the facility on about 20 of the 103 acres LCRA owns at 1260 FM 448, and LCRA expects to begin construction in early 2008.

Exhibits explaining the need for the facility, depicting photos of similar facilities and showing maps of the site will be available. The open house will be a come-and-go format, and members of the community are invited to come by any time.

About LCRA
LCRA is a conservation and reclamation district that provides energy, water and community services to improve the quality of life for the people of Texas. LCRA generates electricity and sells it wholesale to city-owned utilities and cooperatives that serve more than 1.1 million people. LCRA also builds and operates transmission projects through a nonprofit corporation, manages and protects the waters of the lower Colorado River, operates parks, and helps communities with economic development. LCRA operates on revenues from the sale of electricity, water and other services. It cannot levy taxes and receives no tax money.