When freezing temperatures swept across Southeast Texas in January, electricity demand increased and tested the power grid. Thanks to strategic, long-term planning, Entergy Texas’ power plants remained online—providing reliable and affordable electricity during a time when families and businesses needed it most.  

While winter storm response often highlights the coordinated efforts of generation teams, transmission teams and field crews working around the clock, another critical asset was working quietly behind the scenes to help keep the lights on: Entergy Texas’ Spindletop natural gas storage facility in Beaumont. Located atop the historic Spindletop oil field, this lesser-known facility—actively managed by our gas supply and operations teams—plays an important role in strengthening both reliability and affordability for customers, especially during extreme weather. 

A built-in backstop for the grid 

Spindletop is home to two underground salt caverns located more than 4,000 feet below ground. The two salt caverns have a combined approx. 5.9 billion cubic feet of usable natural gas storage, which can be used to fuel four Entergy Texas power plant units for an extended period of time. By strategically purchasing and storing natural gas when market prices are low, we can draw on this supply later when demand for electricity and fuel prices rise—helping to keep power plants running and reducing the impact on customer bills.   

During extreme weather, the value of this storage facility becomes even clearer. As temperatures dipped below freezing across the region in January, Entergy Texas’ power plants drew fuel directly from Spindletop—ensuring a reliable, affordable fuel supply in our own backyard. From Jan. 24-31 alone, using stored fuel from Spindletop saved customers an estimated $20 million. Having local fuel storage also helps relieve pressure on pipelines and allows more fuel to remain available for other generators across the broader electric system. 

“Our Spindletop facility demonstrates how long-term planning and investments across all areas of our business can support both reliability and affordability when grid conditions are most challenging,” said Abby Weaver, Vice President of Business Operations and Strategy of Entergy Texas. “Because we secured this supply well in advance, we were able to rely on gas priced significantly below what the market offered during the freeze.”  

Supporting continued growth in Southeast Texas 

Spindletop also plays a key role in Entergy Texas’ Southeast Texas Energy Plan, commonly known as STEP Ahead, which focuses on strengthening service reliability today while supporting long-term growth across Southeast Texas. As new power plants are built – like the Orange County Advanced Power Station and our two recently approved dispatchable power stations – having secured fuel stored close to home helps ensure electricity remains available and affordable when our customers need it most.  

For Entergy Texas customers, generation assets like Spindletop mean dependable power during extreme weather, greater protection from fuel price spikes, and a stronger, more resilient grid to support our communities now and for generations to come.