Photo: © Eric Melzer 2005 All Rights Reserved
NRG Energy's SR Bertron Power Plant in Deer Park, Texas. (Photo: NRG Energy)
NRG Energy's SR Bertron Power Plant in Deer Park, Texas. (Photo: NRG Energy)
Photo: © Eric Melzer 2005 All Rights Reserved
Although no longer used, original turbine steam valves at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant are relics from the 1950's.
Although no longer used, original turbine steam valves at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant are relics from the 1950's.
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
Tim Gessner, vice president of plant operations, talks about NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012 in La Porte. The electric generating station is being put back on-line after being mothballed. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle )
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Tim Gessner, vice president of plant operations, talks about NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012 in La Porte. The electric generating station is being put back on-line after being mothballed. (
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Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
Robert Woods, an insulator with PCI, removes insulation in preparation for repairs in 2011 in NRG Energy's SR Bertron Power plant.
Robert Woods, an insulator with PCI, removes insulation in preparation for repairs in 2011 in NRG Energy's SR Bertron Power plant.
Photo: Nathan Lindstrom / For the Houston Chronicle
Danny Wright repairs a breaker in 2011 in NRG Energy's SR Bertron Power plant.
Danny Wright repairs a breaker in 2011 in NRG Energy's SR Bertron Power plant.
Photo: Nathan Lindstrom / For the Houston Chronicle
NRG Energy's SR Bertron Power photographed in 2011.
NRG Energy's SR Bertron Power photographed in 2011.
Photo: Nathan Lindstrom / For the Houston Chronicle
Power is carried from the power plant to the grid at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2102.
Power is carried from the power plant to the grid at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2102.
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
Tim Gessner, vice president of plant operations, talks about NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Tim Gessner, vice president of plant operations, talks about NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plan in 2012.
NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plan in 2012.
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
Power is carried from the power plant to the grid at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Power is carried from the power plant to the grid at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
Employee Greg Comeaux does maintenance on insulators at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Employee Greg Comeaux does maintenance on insulators at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
Ed Kascak, turbine maintenance crew leader, left, and Richard Brown, outage manager, right, talk about a generator shaft at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Ed Kascak, turbine maintenance crew leader, left, and Richard Brown, outage manager, right, talk about a generator shaft at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
Employees Darrel Sloan, left, and Greg Comeaux, right, do maintenance on insulators at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Employees Darrel Sloan, left, and Greg Comeaux, right, do maintenance on insulators at NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012. The electric generating station is being put back on-line after being mothballed. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle )
NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012. The electric generating station is being put back on-line after being mothballed. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle )
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
NGR Energy's S.R. Bertron Power Plant in 2012.
Photo: Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle
NRG to restart power plant to meet summer demand for electricity
NRG Energy plans to fire up the mothballed SR Bertron natural gas-fired generation plant to help meet the growing electricity need as the Texas summer heats up.
The plant, near Deer Park, Texas, had been in mothball status since last summer and required about 45 days of preparations to return online.
The SR Bertron plant, comprising four units built in the late 1950s and early 1960s, can generate about 750 megawatts – additional capacity that NRG expects to add to the grid on the hottest days of the summer, when demand typically peaks. One megawatt can serve about 200 typical Texas homes during hot summer weather.
“They will be available all summer and will most likely run on the hottest days, when the temperatures rise above 90 degrees,” said John Ragan, an executive vice president for the Gulf Coast region for NRG. “These are plants from the 1950s and we want to have them available for when the need is really there.”
Feds: Texans at greatest risk for summer power problems
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which oversees the grid for most of Texas, has predicted that reserves may be tight this summer. Grid planners set a 13.75 percent target reserve margin to ensure the system’s reliability even in peak use conditions, but estimate that the summer’s capacity will be about 13.2 percent, even with NRG’s added capacity.
But power emergency alerts still are likely on some of the hottest days this summer.
“We are expecting above-normal temperatures throughout summer in most areas of the ERCOT region,” said Kent Saathoff, an ERCOT executive adviser who has overseen various aspects of grid operations and system planning for several decades. “To help ensure there is enough generation to serve consumer needs, we likely will ask people to conserve power during the hottest hours of the hottest days.”
Safety concerns: Nuclear plant closures show industry’s struggles
Ragan estimates that the SR Bertron units could be be used for as little as 500 hours during the summer’s peak, even though the costs associated with the needed maintenance to prepare the units ran into the multiple millions.
“It is a significant investment on our part, both because of the capital investment and the full- time staff required at these plants,” Ragan said. “One thing we face is the increased cost of maintenance of these plants. It is difficult for us to justify putting money into plants that run so infrequently. The newer plants that are more emission-friendly and faster to start are really way of the future, rather than depending on plants that are past their mechanical lifespan.”
Also on FuelFix:
Texas grid girds for summer onslaught
Photo: Emily Pickrell / Houston Chronicle
Warren Lasher, ERCOT's director of system planning looks out over the control room.
Warren Lasher, ERCOT's director of system planning looks out over the control room.
Photo: Emily Pickrell / Houston Chronicle
An ERCOT worker mans a desk in the Texas electric grid manager's Austin control room.
An ERCOT worker mans a desk in the Texas electric grid manager's Austin control room.
Photo: Tom Reel / ERCOT
A man monitors information in the ERCOT control center in Taylor, Texas. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas operates much of the state's
electric grid from this control center.
A man monitors information in the ERCOT control center in Taylor, Texas. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas operates much of the state's
electric grid from this control center.
Photo: Emily Pickrell / Houston Chronicle
ERCOT's Austin control center is shown in a panorama
photograph during ERCOT's "media day" May 28, 2013.
ERCOT's Austin control center is shown in a panorama
photograph during ERCOT's "media day" May 28, 2013.
Photo: Emily Pickrell / Houston Chronicle
A man monitors information in the ERCOT control center in Taylor, Texas. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas operates much of the state's
electric grid from this control center.
A man monitors information in the ERCOT control center in Taylor, Texas. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas operates much of the state's
electric grid from this control center.
Photo: Emily Pickrell / Houston Chronicle
NRG to restart power plant to meet summer demand for electricity