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Released October 01, 2025 | SUGAR LAND
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Written by Paul Wiseman for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Vistra Corporation (Irving, Texas) this week announced it was moving ahead with plans for $1 billion in capital expenditures "to support grid reliability in Texas," according to a press release. Next on the agenda is adding two gas-fired turbines to its Permian Basin Power Plant in Monahans, Texas.
The new turbines will more than triple the 75-year-old plant's current capacity, from 325 to 1,185 megawatts (MW). Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Plant Database can learn more from a detailed plant profile.
This is the first step in a much larger plan, said Jim Burke, the chief executive officer of Vistra, in a press release. "Based on our ongoing conversations with customers, we are affirming our multi-year plan to add more than 2,000 MW of new capacity in ERCOT [the Electric Reliability Commission of Texas area] between 2024 and 2028."
Vistra already added about 1,000 MW in ERCOT between 2022 and 2023, including new gas-fired projects at Brightside, Emerald Grove and DeCordova. Plus, upgrades at other existing Texas plants added more than 400 MW over the past 12 months. Beyond the Permian Basin plan, other upgrades are expected to add another 500 MW of capacity by 2028.
Additionally, Vistra says it is nearing completion of its 200-MW Oak Hill solar project in Henderson, Texas, which sits on top of the retired Oak Hill lignite mine. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report and plant profile.
Power to the Permian
Grid challenges in the Permian are widely known, as the oil and gas industry expands drilling and production in the nation's top oil producing region. Add in the explosive growth of data centers already taxing power grids there and around the world, and it is apparent that the demand is tremendous.
This week, the Permian Power Connection Conference (PPCC) convened at Midland's Horseshoe Arena to discuss the issues and solutions. Reports show the conference's initial meeting drew more than 500 attendees, 80 sponsors and 75 speakers.
PPCC organizers say data show that power demand in the region will quadruple by the mid-2030s.
ERCOT's Plans
To address the region's power issues, in July 2024 ERCOT filed the Permian Basin Reliability Plan Study with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), which approved the plan in April of this year. It called for adding 345-kV, 500-kV, and 765-kV import path options.
This plan fulfilled the mandate of House Bill 5066, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023 and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Supply Chain Headwinds
For any gas-fired grid project supply chain challenges mount, as increasing demand competes for limited supply, especially of turbines. In the U.S. alone, Industrial Info is tracking 527 capital projects worth more than $165 billion. For related information, see September 15, 2025, article - Will Turbine Shortage Blunt Drive For New-Build Gas-Fired Generation?
The obvious solution would seem to lie in ramping up production, but it's not that easy. The turbine sector is dominated by three main companies--GE Vernova Incorporated (Boston, Massachusetts), Siemens AG (Munich, Germany) and Mitsubishi Corporation (Tokyo, Japan). But none of them have announced plans to expand their overseas turbine manufacturing capacity.
Vistra has announced that the Monahans project and others are slated to be brought online by 2028.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
The new turbines will more than triple the 75-year-old plant's current capacity, from 325 to 1,185 megawatts (MW). Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Plant Database can learn more from a detailed plant profile.
This is the first step in a much larger plan, said Jim Burke, the chief executive officer of Vistra, in a press release. "Based on our ongoing conversations with customers, we are affirming our multi-year plan to add more than 2,000 MW of new capacity in ERCOT [the Electric Reliability Commission of Texas area] between 2024 and 2028."
Vistra already added about 1,000 MW in ERCOT between 2022 and 2023, including new gas-fired projects at Brightside, Emerald Grove and DeCordova. Plus, upgrades at other existing Texas plants added more than 400 MW over the past 12 months. Beyond the Permian Basin plan, other upgrades are expected to add another 500 MW of capacity by 2028.
Additionally, Vistra says it is nearing completion of its 200-MW Oak Hill solar project in Henderson, Texas, which sits on top of the retired Oak Hill lignite mine. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report and plant profile.
Power to the Permian
Grid challenges in the Permian are widely known, as the oil and gas industry expands drilling and production in the nation's top oil producing region. Add in the explosive growth of data centers already taxing power grids there and around the world, and it is apparent that the demand is tremendous.
This week, the Permian Power Connection Conference (PPCC) convened at Midland's Horseshoe Arena to discuss the issues and solutions. Reports show the conference's initial meeting drew more than 500 attendees, 80 sponsors and 75 speakers.
PPCC organizers say data show that power demand in the region will quadruple by the mid-2030s.
ERCOT's Plans
To address the region's power issues, in July 2024 ERCOT filed the Permian Basin Reliability Plan Study with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), which approved the plan in April of this year. It called for adding 345-kV, 500-kV, and 765-kV import path options.
This plan fulfilled the mandate of House Bill 5066, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023 and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Supply Chain Headwinds
For any gas-fired grid project supply chain challenges mount, as increasing demand competes for limited supply, especially of turbines. In the U.S. alone, Industrial Info is tracking 527 capital projects worth more than $165 billion. For related information, see September 15, 2025, article - Will Turbine Shortage Blunt Drive For New-Build Gas-Fired Generation?
The obvious solution would seem to lie in ramping up production, but it's not that easy. The turbine sector is dominated by three main companies--GE Vernova Incorporated (Boston, Massachusetts), Siemens AG (Munich, Germany) and Mitsubishi Corporation (Tokyo, Japan). But none of them have announced plans to expand their overseas turbine manufacturing capacity.
Vistra has announced that the Monahans project and others are slated to be brought online by 2028.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
