ORANGE COUNTY, Texas — Entergy executives, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, government officials and community leaders will gather Monday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Orange County Advanced Power Station.
On March 2, 2023, the Public Utility Commission of Texas officially gave the green light for a new and improved Entergy power station in Orange County.
The 1,215-megawatt Orange County Advanced Power Station would be placed near Bridge City. Construction is already underway and Entergy Texas expects the plant to be in service by the summer of 2026.
A groundbreaking ceremony will take place Monday, April 24, 2023 at 1000 Powerhouse Road, near the Sabine Power Plant in Orange, beginning at 11 a.m.
Gov. Abbott will be joined by Entergy Corporation Chairman and CEO Andrew Marsh, Entergy Texas President and CEO Eliecer Viamontes and other elected officials and local leaders.
Entergy says it's focused on long-term sustainability and growth. The facility could power more than 230,000 homes.
The new power plant would be driven by natural gas and hydrogen, according to a news release from Entergy Texas.
RELATED: Public Utility Commission of Texas officially approves new Entergy power station in Orange County
“Through the strong collaboration and the extensive expertise of the project partners, we are strategically equipped to help Entergy achieve its decarbonization goals,” Kurt Clardy, Senior Vice President of TIC, previously said in a release. “We look forward to leveraging our vast experience to safely construct this industry-leading facility.”
Viamontes says the Orange County Advanced Power Station facility will power the rapidly growing Southeast Texas region for years to come.
"Continue our mission of providing cleaner, more reliable, and lower-cost energy for our customers," Viamontes previously said.
This new addition will bring nearly $2 billion of economic activity to the area and the construction phase will also create around 7,000 jobs.
Once the plant is built and commercial operations, it will have around 27 permanent jobs associated with it.
The consortium partners’ combined expertise will help Entergy progress toward its energy transition goal:
• Sargent & Lundy, known for its advanced class combined-cycle engineering experience, is the engineer of record.
• TIC, which has a strong record for safe on-time construction, is the constructor.
• Mitsubishi Power, a world leader in power generation and storage solutions, is supplying its hydrogen-capable power train which includes two M501JAC enhanced air-cooled gas turbines, steam turbine, heat recovery steam generator, and advanced control system.
RELATED: New Entergy power plant in Orange County to supply power to 230,000 homes, pending approval
People who live nearby previously told 12News they don't have a problem with an improved plant as long as it doesn't intrude.
“As long as they stay in their little neighborhood, I’m really not worried about it as long as they’re not in my backyard. I don't think it will be an issue," a nearby resident named Robert Hufstetler previously told 12News.