Gas

Texas city approves $146 million ‘rapid-start’ natural gas plant to mitigate outages

In the event of a grid failure, officials said the plant would be able to restore power within five minutes.
Texas city approves $146 million ‘rapid-start’ natural gas plant to mitigate outages
Sugar Land, Texas, has approved a land lease to start the process of building a $146M power generation plant designed to restore lost power within minutes, regardless of weather (Credit: Sugar Land Economic Development)

Sugar Land, Texas, near Houston, has approved a land lease to start the process of building a $146 million natural gas-fired plant with an output capacity of at least 135 MW, designed to restore lost power within minutes, regardless of weather.

Facilitated by Sugar Land Economic Development and Tourism (SLOEDT), the development will be located within an approximate 100-acre mixed-use business park at 1 Circle Drive, with direct proximity to Highway 6 and Highway 90A.

“We must take action now to prevent the kind of devastating impacts we’ve seen from various weather disasters, one example being Winter Storm Uri in 2021,” said Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman. “We are committed to building a resilient and dependable power infrastructure here in Sugar Land. This initiative not only ensures a critical resource for our community, but it will also make it easier for us to attract premier business partners, fostering long-term economic growth.”

Once completed, the plant would provide power to the Texas grid. In the event of a grid failure, weather-resistant engines would be able to restore power within five minutes. The plant will provide electricity without relying on external grids, even during a complete blackout.

“We plan to construct the plant with highly efficient engines that are capable of producing power independently, even during extremely low or high temperatures,” said SLOEDT Assistant Director Alba Penate-Johnson. “These aspects align with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas goals (ERCOT), which operates Texas’s electrical grid.”

Currently, project leaders are selecting development partners who will enter into a long-term ground lease agreement once the deal is facilitated. Construction partners and land use permits are also being announced later this year.