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BRIDGE CITY — The Public Utility Commission of Texas recently approved Entergy Texas’ proposal to build the Orange County Advanced Power Station, a 1,215-megawatt combined cycle power facility that will be located near Bridge City.

Located in one of the largest industrial regions in the nation, the plant will serve as the foundation to power and enable growth in Southeast Texas.

The construction of this facility will ensure the region continues to have modern, reliable infrastructure well into the future by replacing end-of-life legacy gas generation with new, modern, and efficient generation capable of powering more than 230,000 homes.

The plant is expected to realize over $100M in fuel savings the first year and provide well over a billion dollars in net benefits to customers over its life. OCAPS will provide critical power to Southeast Texas with a significantly lower emissions rate than the legacy generation it replaces.

“We are excited to reach this significant milestone for OCAPS,” said Eliecer Viamontes, president and CEO of Entergy Texas. “The facility will power communities for years to come and continue our mission of providing cleaner, more reliable, and lower-cost energy for Southeast Texas. The Public Utility Commission’s decision also preserves the opportunity for Entergy Texas to unlock the plant’s ability to co-fire hydrogen in the near future which supports the plant’s long-term viability and benefits customers.”

Hydrogen can be deployed alongside natural gas to produce energy reliably when needed and further reduce emissions when utilizing less carbon-intensive hydrogen.

OCAPS is the latest step in Entergy Texas’ efforts to invest in the communities we serve to create jobs and drive sustainable economic development. An outside analysis conducted by TXP, Inc. determined that construction of OCAPS will create nearly $1.8 billion in total economic activity in Southeast Texas.

Construction of the facility will result in more than 7,000 direct jobs and approximately 27 permanent jobs once operational. Entergy Texas is committed to working with local vendors to maximize the economic impact to the community.

Construction is expected to start in 2023 with a completion date in 2026.