The performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) with a nickel-scandia-stabilized zirconia (Ni-ScSZ) anode and a nickel-yttria-stabilized zirconia (Ni-YSZ) anode was examined at a low steam/methane ratio (S/C) of 3% H2O-CH4. The power density of the cell with the Ni-ScSZ anode showed 0.85 W/cm(2) at 0.85 V at 1273 K without degradation of power density during over 250 h. A whisker-shaped graphite was observed on a part of the Ni-ScSZ surface after the generation tests. On the other hand, the Ni-YSZ anode showed the power density of 0.8 W/cm(2) at an initial stage and degraded to be 0.6 W/cm(2) after 250 h. The degradation of the power density could be explained by the formation of amorphous carbon on the Ni-particles by the methane decomposition. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.