Another company is expanding energy production and grid reliability in Texas, this time in the oil rich Permian Basin.
Vistra Corp. plans to build two new advanced natural gas power units at its Permian Basin Power Plant. The units will generate an estimated 860 megawatts of power, more than tripling the site’s current capacity from 325 MW to 1,185 MW.
“Texas leads the nation in energy production, providing reliable and affordable power for Texans and the rest of the country,” Gov. Greg Abbott said. “Vistra’s bold investment in the Permian Basin will reinforce our state’s electric grid, spur jobs, and drive regional economic growth for years to come. Together, we are powering Texas by supporting families, fueling businesses, and meeting the energy demands of our thriving state.”
“As the leading competitive generator in Texas, customers from residential to commercial and industrial are turning to Vistra to help them meet their energy needs,” Vistra president and CEO Jim Burke said. “We recognize that energy is critical to powering this economic opportunity, and we expect Texas will play an outsized role.”
Last year, the company identified “more than $1 billion worth of potential capital additions in generation capacity within the Texas ERCOT market by 2028 if market conditions were supportive,” Vistra said. After a new Trump administration began prioritizing domestic energy production, continued support with a state and local regulatory framework for the Texas oil and natural gas industry, increasing need for growing power needs in West Texas, Vistra announced it was moving ahead with expansion plans.
After having “ongoing conversations with customers,” Burke said Vistra was moving forward with its multi-year plan to add more than 2,000 MW of new capacity to the Texas grid between 2024 and 2028. That’s enough electricity to power 1 million homes by 2028.
“Vistra’s Permian Basin Power Plant has been a part of our community for more than 75 years, and this latest investment at the site will further strengthen our region and our city to ensure we’re part of the energy solution,” Monahans Mayor Adam Steen said.
“Given Vistra’s fleet, interconnections, and experience in improving, redeveloping, and building power plants, we are uniquely positioned to deliver solutions that provide reliable, affordable power to our residential customers as well as industries across Texas and the United States to ensure our economic competitiveness and national security,” Burke said.
Between 2020 and 2023, Vistra added approximately 1,000 MW of new generation capacity in Texas by increasing the generation output of its gas fleet and bringing new projects at Brightside, Emerald Grove, and DeCordova into commercial operation.
Vistra’s 50 MW Brightside Solar Facility is located in Live Oak County; its 108 MW Emerald Grove Solar Facility is located in Crane County; its 260 MW/260 MWh DeCordova Energy Storage Facility is located in Hood County. They are three of seven new renewable and energy storage projects Vistra recently brought online.
Vistra also upgraded existing natural gas plants, adding more than 400 MW of generation capacity across its existing Texas gas-fueled power plant fleet, it says. It’s also nearly finished constructing a new 200-MW Oak Hill solar project and is repowering a Coleto Creek Power Plant in Goliad County that was scheduled for retirement in 2027.
Vistra plans to build a dispatchable gas plant on the Coleto Creek property to restore approximately 630 MW of power generation to the Texas grid and provide economic and tax benefits to the Goliad area, it says.
“For decades, our company has been growing our generation fleet in competitive markets, responsibly planning and developing a pipeline of projects to meet America’s growing need for power, while providing customers with the solutions that best meet their energy requirements,” Burke said.
After these projects are completed, Vistra will have invested nearly $2 billion to add approximately 3,100 MW of new generation capacity in Texas since 2020, it says.
“Vistra’s announcement is another testament to Texas’ unmatched leadership in oil and natural gas and the importance of investing in proven, reliable dispatchable energy sources to power our growing economy,” Ed Longanecker, president of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association, told The Center Square. “Natural gas delivers the on-demand power needed to support new AI data centers, advanced manufacturing, and our state’s world-class energy sector. With projects like these, Texas strengthens grid reliability, supports high-wage jobs and reinforces its role as the cornerstone of America’s energy security.”
Longanecker noted that the Trump administration has fostered an environment to support domestic energy investment and expansion. Its “pro-energy vision … has unleashed American oil and gas through deregulation, LNG expansion and innovation in fossil fuel technologies, amplifying Texas’ ability to produce and export energy globally,” he said. “Unlike past administrations that sought to sideline our oil and gas industry, this approach empowers Texas to keep energy affordable and reliable, create jobs and outcompete adversaries like China and Russia.”
