Vistra, the nation’s largest competitive power generator, on Tuesday said federal regulators approved its 20-year license renewal for the Comanche Peak nuclear plant in Texas.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval of the extension request, filed in October 2022, will extend the operating life of the two-unit, 2,400-megawatt plant through 2053.
The extension for Comanche Peak, 40 miles outside of Fort Worth, comes as the state is poised to see power demand surge. The forecast rise in Texas’ electricity demand along with a voter-approved fund for low-interest loans to add generating capacity has prompted a surge of interest by developers in new natural gas-fired generation.
Jim Burke, Vistra’s chief executive, said in a statement that the Comanche extension will be valuable in helping meet growing demand without increasing emissions.
