SHERMAN, Texas (AP) — Construction is underway on a new natural gas-fired power plant in Sherman that is expected to help meet growing electricity demand across North Texas and the ERCOT power grid.
Rayburn Electric Cooperative announced June 9 that it has broken ground on the 570-megawatt Rayburn Electric Station II, which will be built adjacent to the existing Rayburn Electric Station on the cooperative’s Sherman campus.
According to Rayburn Electric Cooperative, the new facility is scheduled to begin commercial operations in June 2028.
New Power Plant in Sherman Texas will provide power
The cooperative said the plant will provide power to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) North Load Zone and is designed to operate as a peaker plant, meaning it can quickly generate electricity during periods of high demand.
Rayburn officials said the facility will be capable of reaching full power output within 10 minutes, helping stabilize the grid when renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are not producing enough electricity.
“It’ll be great for those periods of time where we need that extra kick, or where the sun is setting and the solar is dropping off, the wind hasn’t quite picked up … those little gaps in this system,” Rayburn Electric Cooperative President and CEO David Naylor said.
The project is part of broader efforts across Texas to expand dispatchable power generation, which can be turned on when needed to support reliability during extreme weather and peak usage periods.
Rayburn Electric Cooperative serves member utilities across North and East Texas.