Company Plans Texas Nuclear Power Projects
By Elizabeth Souder, The Dallas Morning News
Jun. 21–NRG Energy Inc. announced on Wednesday plans to build nearly a dozen new power generation plants across the country in the next decade, including two nuclear plants in Texas.
The Princeton, N.J., company wants to add two more units to its South Texas Project nuclear plant, as well as build another coal-fired power plant, and boost its natural gas-fired power capacity. The company will also add wind power in Texas.
NRG plans to also develop coal-fired plants in the Northeastern U.S. and in the South, and gas-fired capacity in the Northeast and the West.
NRG said the new plants would cost $16 billion, which would come from outside investors and partners. The nuclear additions would cost $5.2 billion, the company said.
“NRG’s development program is designed to meet the growing needs of these regions, while both reducing their dependence on natural gas for power generation purposes and making meaningful progress towards reducing our carbon profile,” Chief Executive David Crane said in a statement.
The company said it will cut its emissions of pullutants and carbon dioxide in the process. Once the nuclear facilities are finished, NRG expects to have cut its total emissions in Texas by 20 to 30 percent.
NRG also said on Wednesday it bought Padoma Wind Power LLC, which is developing wind power in Texas, California and New Mexico.
The company said it filed on Monday a letter of intent with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build 2,700 megawatts of nuclear power at the existing South Texas Project nuclear facility.
NRG also said it filed last week an air permit application for a new 800 megawatt pulverized coal unit, as well as permits to boost the capacity of two other existing coal units.
Further, NRG will boost the output of its natural gas-powered generators in the Houston area.
Email esouder@dallasnews.com
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Dallas Morning News
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
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