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This two-part paper assesses four strategies for energy recovery from MSW (municipal solid waste) by dedicated WTE (waste-to-energy) plants generating electricity through a steam cycle. The feedstock is the residue after MR (materials recovery), assumed to be 35 % by weight of the collected MSW. In strategy 1, the MR residue is fed directly to a grate combustor. In strategy 2, the MR residue is first subjected to light mechanical treatment. In strategies 3 and 4, the MR residue is converted into RDF (refuse derived fuel), which is combusted in a fluidized bed combustor. To examine the relevance of scale, is considered a small WMS (waste management system) serving 200,000 people and a large WMS serving 1,200,000 people. A variation of strategy 1 shows the potential of cogeneration with district heating. The assessment is carried out by a Life Cycle Analysis where the electricity generated by the WTE plant displaces electricity generated by fossil fuel-fired steam plants. Part A focuses on mass and energy balances, while Part B focuses on emissions and costs. Treating the MR residue ahead of the WTE plant reduces energy recovery. The largest energy savings are achieved by combusting the MR residue in large scale plants; with cogeneration, primary energy savings can reach 2.5 % of total societal energy use. (to be continued)