Entergy Texas officially placed its Orange County Advanced Power Station into service today, adding a new source of around-the-clock power to help meet the growing energy needs across Southeast Texas. The 1,215-megawatt facility can generate enough electricity to power more than 230,000 homes. Over time, it’s expected to generate more than $1 billion in customer savings through lower fuel and operating costs, all while strengthening service reliability across the region. 

“OCAPS is yet another way that we’re making sure Texas families and businesses have the energy and infrastructure they need to succeed,” said David Borde, CEO of Entergy Texas. “Our customers count on us to power critical parts of their everyday lives, and OCAPS helps us deliver even more of the safe and reliable power they deserve in a cost-effective manner. Today is a huge milestone for our communities, and a big step toward the stronger and more resilient energy future Southeast Texas needs to thrive.” 

Texas added more residents than any other state between 2024 and 2025, and Southeast Texas continues to see new business and industrial development. Because of this growth, Entergy Texas expects electricity demand across its service area to grow by about 13% between 2024 and 2028, increasing the need for more modern and reliable power generation resources.  

The design of OCAPS allows operators to quickly increase or decrease power production to match how much electricity customers are using, which is especially important during high-demand periods like summer and winter. The plant uses combined-cycle technology, meaning it can produce more electricity from the same amount of fuel by capturing heat that would normally be wasted. Because OCAPS uses advanced technology that requires less fuel—and fuel costs flow straight to customers—the plant’s efficiency is expected to help lower bills over time.  

Beyond its operational benefits, OCAPS has also delivered significant economic value. Construction of the plant generated approximately $1.8 billion in economic activity and supported more than 7,000 direct jobs.  

“OCAPS is a significant addition for The Golden Triangle area—a region that faces everything from winter storms to hurricanes,” said Larry Spears Jr., mayor of Orange. “Having a resource like this gives our community access to more of the reliable power we count on every day, while also helping to ensure that we’re better prepared for extreme weather challenges. It’s the kind of investment that helps a community keep moving forward, gives businesses confidence to grow and creates opportunities for the people who call this place home.” 

OCAPS is one of several major investments Entergy Texas is making to meet the region’s rapid growth. Through its strategic Southeast Texas Energy Plan, also known as STEP Ahead, the company is investing in additional power generation, new and stronger transmission infrastructure and other improvements designed to make the power grid more reliable and resilient.  

To learn more about future projects planned for Southeast Texas, visit EntergyTexas.com/StepAhead.