A Texas-based power firm has introduced plans to construct a 1.2-GW pure gas-fired energy plant in Lee County, Texas, with building anticipated to start in 2025.
Sandow Lakes Power Co. on Feb. 12 mentioned it will construct the plant on property owned by the corporate. The power, which might be powered by two SGT6-9000HL generators from Siemens Power, is anticipated to return on-line by 2028.
Sandow Lakes, about 60 miles east of Austin, was previously the location of a Fifties-era built-in industrial complicated that housed an Alcoa aluminum smelter. The positioning included a 1.2-GW coal-fired energy plant operated by Luminant, a subsidiary of Vistra Corp.; that plant was closed in 2018. The coal plant, together with industrial buildings on the website, are within the technique of being partly demolished, with the brand new pure gas-fired energy plant a part of the situation’s repurposing because the Sandow Lakes Ranch grasp deliberate growth.
Stan Gerdes, a Texas state consultant for the district that features Sandow Lakes, mentioned, “For the residents of this area, shedding Alcoa after six many years of producing was a blow to all the area. However with the arrival of Sandow Lakes, the oldsters dwelling right here have renewed enthusiasm for the realm, their households and for the long run.”
Siemens Generators
Sandow Lakes Power mentioned the Siemens-built generators would have “the potential of working on hydrogen with solely minor modifications to the gear,” and would offer “dependable energy era to the area whereas supporting decarbonization targets.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in an announcement mentioned, “As Texas continues to develop, rising the capability and reliability of our energy grid is essential. This Sandow Lakes plant will present 1,200 megawatts of dispatchable energy, offering sufficient electrical energy for tons of of 1000’s of properties. By partnerships with corporations like Sandow Lakes and Siemens, our state will guarantee we proceed to ship dependable energy to each Texas house.”
Texas has been affected by energy shortages in recent times which have resulted in blackouts, together with a days-long disruption in energy from Winter Storm Uri in February 2021. The Texas Tribune, citing knowledge from the Division of State Well being Providers, reported that 246 deaths within the state had been attributed to the storm. The state additionally skilled important energy impacts from Winter Storm Elliott in December 2022.
The Electrical Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates Texas’ energy grid, in October of final yr sought bids to extend the state’s electrical energy provide by at the least 3 GW. The group mentioned new era may come from each dispatchable energy models, and demand response methods. ERCOT mentioned dispatchable assets embrace nuclear, coal, pure gasoline, biomass and power storage, however mentioned it didn’t embrace photo voltaic and wind energy. The grid operator mentioned the output of wind and photo voltaic couldn’t be managed primarily based on directions from ERCOT.
Emergency Notices
The grid operator has issued a number of Working Situation Discover (OCN) declarations over the previous few years, asking contributors within the state’s deregulated energy market system to be ready for emergency situations. Officers have usually requested electrical energy prospects to preserve energy in periods of maximum warmth or chilly. A January OCN was issued forward of anticipated excessive chilly; a number of had been issued final summer time in periods of maximum warmth.
Sandow Lakes Power Co. in a information launch mentioned the corporate “was fashioned for the aim of creating, working and investing in power tasks in Texas to assist the Sandow Lakes property and the quickly rising electrical energy demand throughout the State. Sandow Lakes Power Firm, LLC is dedicated to using out there clear and environment friendly applied sciences in reference to its developments.”
State Senator Lois Kolkhorst, who represents the district round Sandow Lakes, mentioned, “Texas wants dispatchable thermal era to supply energy for our rising state. That’s why I’m happy to host this new pure gasoline plant in Lee County. That is thrilling information for the way forward for our area and an essential step for all Texans who will profit from a brand new supply of unpolluted and dependable power.”
BloombergNEF in a information report mentioned its calculations, primarily based on an analyis of information, present Texas is anticipated so as to add 5.4 GW of recent era from energy crops by 2030.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior affiliate editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).