NRG Energy’s New Houston Natural Gas Plant

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**NRG Energy Commits $800 Million to New Sheldon Power Plant, Bolstering Houston’s Grid Reliability by 2026**

**HOUSTON, TX – [Insert Current Date]** – NRG Energy is moving forward with an $800 million investment to construct a new 455-megawatt natural gas power plant in Sheldon, located in northeast Harris County. The project, named Cedar Bayou 6, aims to significantly enhance grid reliability and meet the burgeoning energy demands of the Houston region, particularly during extreme weather events and peak usage periods.

NRG officially announced its plans on November 19, with the state-of-the-art facility anticipated to be fully operational by summer 2026. Preliminary construction for Cedar Bayou 6 commenced in the first quarter of 2024, with official construction activities ramping up in the second quarter of the year.

Once completed, the advanced combustion turbine unit will be capable of generating enough power for approximately 340,000 homes. A key feature of Cedar Bayou 6 is its rapid start-and-stop capabilities, a critical design element intended to allow quick response to fluctuations in electricity demand and supply, thereby improving the overall stability of the Texas grid managed by ERCOT (Electric Reliability Council of Texas).

“Houston and the broader Texas Gulf Coast continue to experience robust growth, driving a clear need for reliable and flexible power generation,” said [Fictional NRG Spokesperson Name], a representative for NRG Energy. “Cedar Bayou 6 is a cornerstone of our ‘Texas target resource plan,’ designed to ensure our communities have access to the power they need, especially when it matters most during extreme temperatures.”

The new plant will be strategically situated near NRG’s current Cedar Bayou Steam Electric Station. Cedar Bayou 6 is slated to replace the existing Cedar Bayou Unit 1, an older facility that will be retired by June 2026, marking a significant upgrade in efficiency and environmental performance for NRG’s operations in the area.

This substantial investment has already received tax abatements from the Texas Comptroller’s office under Chapter 313 of the Texas Tax Code. This program, which recently expired at the end of 2022, was designed to incentivize large-scale capital investments in the state by offering temporary property tax reductions to companies.

The economic impact of the Cedar Bayou 6 project is expected to be substantial for northeast Harris County. The construction phase is projected to create approximately 300 jobs, providing opportunities for skilled labor in the region. Upon completion, the facility will sustain an additional 25-30 permanent, high-skilled positions for ongoing operations and maintenance.

NRG’s investment in Sheldon is part of a broader trend across Texas, where major energy players are strategically investing in new natural gas-fired power plants to bolster the state’s electricity grid. Other prominent companies, including Entergy and NextEra Energy, are also undertaking similar projects to enhance generation capacity and reliability in response to rapid population growth and past grid challenges, such as those experienced during Winter Storm Uri in 2021. These investments reflect a concerted effort to ensure the long-term energy security of Texas.

For more information about NRG Energy’s operations in Texas, visit their official website at [Fictional NRG Website Link, e.g., www.nrg.com/texas]. Details on Chapter 313 tax abatements can be found on the Texas Comptroller’s website at [Fictional Texas Comptroller Website Link, e.g., comptroller.texas.gov].

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