The Meridian City Council approved issuing a letter of support Friday for an energy company considering future development in the Queen City.

In a special called meeting, the council voted 3-0 to issue the letter, with council members George Thomas and Romande Walker absent.

East Mississippi Business Development Corporation President and CEO Bill Hannah said the letter, along with letters requested from EMBDC and Lauderdale County, will be used by the energy company to pursue a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The letter, Hannah said, is not a commitment from either the city or the company to do anything related to economic development in the future.

“We have a long way to go before any obligation either way,” he said.

Councilman Joe Norwood Jr., who serves as council president, said no money is involved with the letter, and the city is simply lending its support to the company for whatever weight that carries with those awarding the grant funds.

Meridian is one of several locations the company is considering, Hannah said, and it is still too soon to say for certain where it will end up.

“Hopefully this is going to move forward and everything is going to be be announced good, great, but we’re not there yet,” he said.