CALGARY, Alberta - ATCO Noise Management has been awarded two multi-million dollar contracts to use its advanced proprietary technology to silence noise at the largest new power plant to be built in New York City in over a quarter century.

SCS Astoria Energy will build one of the cleanest, most-efficient power plants in Astoria, Queens, New York City. The power plant will use sophisticated combined-cycle technology that is cleaner and more efficient than other power plants. It will be equipped with advanced emission controls, allowing it to meet federal air-quality standards by a wide margin and is scheduled to begin operating by the spring of 2006. Similar attention has been focused on reducing noise to meet the stringent environmental standards for the project.

“ATCO Noise Management will reduce noise at the one billion dollar (US) natural gas fired power plant to meet a target of 41 dBA -- equivalent to the noise heard in a library -- at the nearest of seven measuring points in the area,” said Boris Rassin, President of ATCO Noise Management. “At this major new power generation project, we have designed and will provide advanced noise reduction systems that complement the other significant environmental attributes.”

To meet the demanding noise reduction targets, ATCO Noise Management will provide proprietary acoustical assemblies for the walls and roof of the turbine and compressor buildings and custom designed ventilation silencers. Absorptive acoustic barriers will also be strategically located to limit noise from other equipment on the site.

In design of the advanced noise reduction systems, ATCO Noise Management considered noise levels at seven critical locations identified in the permitting documents and four different noise statutes governing the project.

ATCO Noise Management, part of the ATCO Group of Companies, has provided guaranteed noise reduction solutions to more than 500 industrial projects since 1991, earning global recognition in industrial noise abatement. More information about ATCO Noise Management can be found at www.atconoise.com.

ATCO Group is an Alberta-based, worldwide organization of companies with more than 7,000 employees actively engaged in Power Generation, Utilities and Global Enterprises. More information about ATCO Ltd. can be found on its website, www.atco.com.