Atlanta, For Immediate Release: Canada's La Grande James Bay Complex is the world's top energy project, noted futurist McKinley Conway contends in his new book, Global Super Projects: Mega Ventures That Are Shaping Our Future .

The landmark Canadian achievement, however, is only one of a host of mega-endeavors in which Conway has selected the most significant projects in recent history. The prolific author of more than two dozen books has also chosen the top projects in 19 other important categories, ranging from environmental and conservation undertakings, to new airports, highways and other infrastructure elements. (To access all of Conway's selections, as well as the Conway Global Super Projects Registry, look for the online version of the entire book that will be available by Jan. 16, 2006, at www.sitenet.com/books/superprojects . To go directly to the Conway Global Super Projects Registry, go to www.sitenet.com/books/superprojects/registry . )

Conway, a pioneer in the economic development field, made his selections from what he calls “Super Projects, the billion-dollar babies that are changing the face of world development.” A Super Project, he explains, “represents a cost of US$1 billion or more and/or a represents a technological breakthrough of worldwide significance.” Conway's Atlanta-based research firm, Conway Data Inc., maintains a global Super Project database that now includes some 2,000 ventures.

Just how did Conway, who has studied major global projects for decades and brought together leading Super Project experts in a series of historic worldwide conferences, choose the crème de la crème ? The winners, he explains, “were those deemed to be most significant in improving the quality of life for large numbers of the world's citizens.”

Here, for example, is how the author explained his choice for the world's top energy project:

“The world's top energy project is Canada's La Grande James Bay complex. Situated on the La Grande River 600 miles (960 km.) north of Montreal, this $60 billion hydro development was begun in the 1970s. By the 1990s the capacity was 15,000 mw .

“Also impressive is BRAZIL'S $20 billion Itaipu project on the Paraná River between Brazil and Paraguay . It began operating in 1983 and was at full capacity by 1990. Eighteen turbo-generators produce 12,600 mw. In the same bracket is China's Three Gorges project on the Yangtze River beginning operation in 2005.”