TOPEKA ? The federal government has asked Kansas and other states vying for a new Department of Homeland Security laboratory to commit to building a power plant for the facility, officials confirmed Friday.

“They want a totally self-sustained operation,” Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said.

Sebelius said the state is looking at what a plant would cost and how it would be funded.

“There was a number thrown out by the feds that we think is just wrong for Kansas,” she said.

Homeland Security has proposed a $450 million National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility that would focus on potential food supply threats. DHS has requested that the facility have a separate gas-fired power plant, Sebelius said.

Six sites, including Kansas State University, are in the running for the lab.