Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday that NRG Energy will build a $360 million natural gas facility in Harris County.
The 456-megawatt plant at the TH Wharton Generating Station qualifies for the state’s Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation program. The expansion addresses surging electricity demand in Houston, the nation’s fifth-largest metropolitan area. Construction aims to bolster grid reliability as Texas faces growing energy needs from population growth and industrial development.
“Texas energy powers our state’s booming economy,” said Abbott. “This $360 million investment by NRG in Harris County is a significant advancement in Texas’ energy infrastructure.”
The facility will serve the Houston Load Zone, including Pasadena and The Woodlands. Operations are expected to begin by summer 2026.
Abbott emphasized the project’s role in grid stability.
“By investing in reliable, dispatchable energy, we will add more power and better fortify our grid.”
The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved a Texas Energy Fund loan agreement for the project in August. The simple-cycle plant will create construction jobs and permanent positions once operational.
Robert Gaudette, NRG’s executive vice president, praised the public-private partnership.
“Moving Texas forward to meet surging energy demand involves public-private partnership, and NRG is grateful the TH Wharton new build project is part of Governor Abbott’s innovative JETI program.”
The Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District supports the expansion.
“The TH Wharton project will accommodate the growing energy demand in the district and Houston area,” said district Chief Financial Officer Karen Smith.
Natural gas plants provide quick-start power generation critical for grid stability. The facility adds to Texas’s dispatchable energy resources amid concerns about renewable intermittency.
