Players, parents, coaches and the community were the winners in the kickoff year of a soccer field complex that PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) built for public use at its Brunner Island power plant in East Manchester Township, York County.

First envisioned a decade ago, this six-field complex with 300 parking spaces is built on the site of a retired coal-ash disposal basin on plant property.

"While our main business is generating electricity, our commitment to being a good neighbor is very strong," said Steve Marbaise, Brunner Island plant manager.

"PPL is pleased to provide a place for the youth of the community to play, grow and learn important lessons about the benefits of teamwork and all-out effort," he added.

PPL established the soccer fields by beneficially reusing a retired coal-ash basin. The basin was drained, filled with soil, graded and groomed. Stabil-Fill™, a soillike material created with recycled ash, was used as fill material to help construct the parking lot.

Coal ash is a byproduct of coal combustion at coal-fired power plants such as Brunner Island. PPL uses more than 90 percent of the coal ash it produces for beneficial purposes. By recycling the coal ash, the company is able to support community projects, reduce waste and conserve natural resources.

Ash from the company's power plant operations has supported recreation projects, environmental improvement initiatives and economic development projects, including the construction of a 3,000-foot runway at Danville/Riverside Airport in Danville, Pa.

PPL's Brunner Island power plant has three coal-fired generating units and is on the west bank of the Susquehanna River about 15 miles downstream from Harrisburg, Pa.

The plant provides about 240 full-time jobs and generated more than 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2005, enough to supply the annual electric use of about 1 million homes.

PPL will invest about $900 million in environmental controls at the Brunner Island plant by 2010 to add cooling towers and state-of-the-art air emission control equipment.

PPL Corporation, headquartered in Allentown, Pa., controls about 11,500 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets and delivers electricity to nearly 5 million customers in Pennsylvania, the United Kingdom and Latin America.