Gas

Vistra to add up to 2,000 MW of gas-fired capacity in Texas

The new capacity includes peaker plant additions and the repowering of a coal-fired plant.
Vistra to add up to 2,000 MW of gas-fired capacity in Texas

Vistra announced plans to add up to 2,000 MW of natural gas-fired capacity in West, Central, and North Texas.

The company would build up to 860 MW of simple-cycle peaker plants in West Texas to support the increasing power needs of that region, including the state’s growing oil and gas industry. These quick-start units would help back up the grid when renewable resources are not available and battery storage limits have been reached. Texas continues to develop a vast amount of wind and solar generation. Vistra is planning to file an application on May 31 for the Texas Energy Fund for these new peakers. 

Vistra would also convert its coal-fired Coleto Creek plant near Goliad to natural gas. The coal plant is set to retire in 2027. Repowering would enable up to 600 MW of gas-fired capacity. By using the existing grid interconnection, Vistra said it could bring this project online in a shorter timeframe compared to a new greenfield location.

Finally, the company plans complete several projects at its existing gas plants that will add more than 500 MW of summer capacity and 100 MW of winter capacity. The company said nearly half of this summer capacity will come online in the next few months, with the remainder coming by summer 2025.

“Texas is in the enviable position of experiencing sustained economic growth, which includes rapidly increasing power demand as a result of population growth and electrification activities in a number of areas, including transportation, data centers, manufacturing, and industrial activities,” said Jim Burke, president and chief executive officer of Vistra.

Vistra currently operates approximately 11,300 MW of natural gas-fired plants across Texas.

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