The Kerrville Public Utility Board recently announced new details regarding its planned natural gas-fired power generation facility.
KPUB, a Texas public power utility, revealed that the site for the new facility will be located approximately 10 miles south of Columbus, Texas, in Colorado County.
The location was selected due to its strong infrastructure and immediate proximity to four natural gas pipelines -- an advantage not available in Kerr County.
The utility also introduced the project partners that will be instrumental in delivering the facility. Sky Global, a small but highly experienced power plant developer and operator, will lead the project and serve as KPUB’s generation department, managing and operating the facility long term.
The plant will feature six reciprocating internal combustion engines, supplied and maintained by MAN Energy Solutions. "With over 120 years of engine manufacturing experience and more than 1,500 similar engines in service worldwide, MAN will provide high-reliability, high-performance equipment tailored for fast-start, dispatchable power," the utility said.
Summit Industrial, a Texas-based construction firm with deep experience in energy and industrial infrastructure, will serve as the general contractor.
Longtime KPUB partner SEnergy will oversee engineering and design, drawing on more than 25 years of experience working with the utility. Natural gas for the plant will be supplied by Kinder Morgan.
The plant will feature 122 megawatts of dispatchable generation -- more than twice the capacity of its future neighbor, Sky Global Power One. That 50-megawatt RICE facility, developed by Sky Global to serve San Bernard Electric Cooperative, has become a model of reliability and efficiency, the utility noted.
During 2021’s Winter Storm Uri, when many power generation plants around the state went offline due to frozen conditions or curtailed natural gas, Sky Global Power One operated at 99.6% availability.
Building on that success, KPUB’s new facility will feature six larger, more advanced reciprocating engines sourced from a different manufacturer.
Construction of the KPUB facility is expected to begin in fall 2025, with commercial operations targeted for June 2027.
The project has applied for a low-interest loan through the Texas Energy Fund and is currently undergoing a due diligence process for funding. Additional financing will come from tax-exempt revenue bonds.
“This project strengthens KPUB’s ability to protect our ratepayers and continue offering some of the lowest electric rates in Texas for decades to come,” said Mike Wittler, KPUB General Manager and CEO. “We’re proud of the experienced team we’ve assembled and excited to power forward with this important investment in our community’s energy future.”
