State regulators have approved Entergy Texas’ plan to build two natural gas power plants in Southeast Texas, projects expected to add more than 1,200 megawatts of generation capacity and support the region’s rapid growth.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas voted Sept. 11 to approve the company’s proposal.
Entergy said the plants, the Legend Power Station in Port Arthur and the Lone Star Power Station near Cleveland, will provide enough electricity to power more than 300,000 homes.
Both facilities are scheduled to be online by mid-2028.
Entergy estimates the projects will generate about $2.8 billion in economic activity and create more than 9,000 construction jobs.
“We’ve heard directly from our customers and communities about the need for more power to support our rapidly growing region, and these facilities will deliver just that,” Entergy Texas CEO Eliecer Viamontes said in a statement.
The Legend Power Station, a $1.6 billion investment, is expected to serve more than 190,000 homes and generate $1.79 billion in economic activity during construction.
The Lone Star facility represents a $799 million investment and is projected to serve more than 110,000 homes while generating $951 million in economic activity.
The projects are part of Entergy Texas’ Southeast Texas Energy Plan, or STEP Ahead, a long-term strategy to boost reliability, support economic development and expand capacity in one of the fastest-growing regions of the country.
The company is also building the Orange County Advanced Power Station as part of the plan.
— Dannie Oliveaux | DannieOliveaux@TheExaminer.com
