Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Entergy executives, Governor Greg Abbott, government officials and community leaders are slated for an in-person Orange County development celebration this week.

The gathering is celebrate a ceremonial groundbreaking of the Orange County Advanced Power Station.

Dubbed OCAPS, it is a 1,215-megawatt, combined-cycle power plant capable of powering more than 230,000 homes.

Construction is underway, and Entergy Texas expects the plant to be in service by summer 2026.

In March, Orange Newsmedia reported that the Public Utility Commission of Texas approved Entergy Texas’ proposal to build the 1,215-megawatt combined-cycle power plant near Bridge City.

In championing the announcement, Entergy Texas announced a consortium of power brokers coming together to make the project a reality.

Entergy Texas President and CEO Eliecer Viamontes previously praised the planned Orange County Advanced Power Station, calling it state-of-the-art modern, efficient combustion turbine technology.

“It is fully dispatchable, which ensures affordable, reliable and sustainable,” he said during a chamber speech in August 2022.

“It is designed to use not only natural gas but also hydrogen. That is something our industrial customers are keenly interested in, not only for dispatchable energy for 24/7 reliability, but also as a path to decarbonization with a low-emissions aspect.”

The consortium announced in March includes Mitsubishi Power Americas, Sargent & Lundy and The Industrial Company. They are providing engineering, procurement and construction services to build the power station.

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.

Viamontes said the facility will power rapidly growing Southeast Texas for years to come and continue Entergy’s mission of providing cleaner, more reliable and lower-cost energy for customers.

“Additionally, the ability to unlock the plant’s hydrogen co-firing capability supports the plant’s long-term viability and will benefit our customers,” Viamontes said.

“(The power station) will be strategically located near hydrogen producers, pipeline, storage and off-takers to leverage this important source of clean and reliable energy in the future.”