LCRA to build new peaker power plant to help support Texas electric grid

AUSTIN – The Lower Colorado River Authority on Tuesday announced it will build a new peaker power plant in Central Texas to provide an additional 190 megawatts of dispatchable power to the Texas power grid.

The plant is expected to be operational in 2025. A peaker plant is one that typically is used for brief periods during times when the demand for power approaches or surpasses the amount of power available.

As dispatchable power, the plant will be available to grid operators to call upon when renewable and other thermal generation are not sufficient to meet the state’s demand for electricity. The new LCRA plant will be able to ramp up and shut down in minutes.

“With this new plant, LCRA continues its commitment to provide reliable, cost-effective power to its customers and the Texas power grid,” said Timothy Timmerman, chair of the LCRA Board of Directors. “The new plant will provide power during peak use times to support the Texas electric grid and provide homes, businesses and industries with power.”