Sandow Lakes Energy Company has announced plans to construct a 1.2GW natural gas-fuelled power plant in Lee County in the US state of Texas.

The facility will be developed and owned by a subsidiary of the Sandow Lakes Energy Company.  

Construction of the plant will commence in 2025 and power generation will begin by 2028.

It will supply power to 800,000 homes within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) network.

Sandow Lakes Energy has agreed with Siemens Energy to reserve manufacturing slots for two SGT6-9000HL gas turbines, known for their high power output, better fuel efficiency and the ability to operate on hydrogen with minimal modifications.

The power plant site, which once housed a coal-based power generation facility dating back to the 1950s, is now being transformed.

The old coal facilities and other industrial structures are being partially demolished and repurposed to make way for the new and sustainable combined cycle power plant.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated: “As Texas continues to grow, increasing the capacity and reliability of our power grid is critical. This Sandow Lakes plant will provide 1,200MW of dispatchable power, providing enough electricity for hundreds of thousands of homes.

“As governor, I signed bipartisan laws to reform ERCOT and increase the reliability, resilience and capability of our state grid. Through partnerships with companies like Sandow Lakes and Siemens, our state will ensure we continue to deliver reliable power to every Texas home.”

In October 2023, ERCOT sought bids to increase its electricity supply by 3GW, using both dispatchable generation and demand response solutions.