CHEYENNE - Officials say construction of a $100 million coal research plant in Cheyenne will start next year and should be in operation by late 2012.

Officials from the University of Wyoming and General Electric Co. on Tuesday provided more details on the facility. It will research turning coal into natural gas and other products through a low emission process.

Wyoming is the nation's leading coal producing state and finding cleaner ways to turn coal into electricity is important for the state's economy. The state has invested $50 million into the research plant.

GE Energy general manager Monte Atwell said one of the primary goals of the plant is to refine and improve current technology to gasify Wyoming coal.