NextEra to build $17 billion natural-gas plant in Fayette County

Under a U.S.-Japan trade agreement, NextEra Energy Resources has been selected to develop the East Riverside Energy Center, a $17 billion natural-gas generation hub in Fayette County. The site, located on reclaimed surface-mined coal property along the Monongahela River, will host three combined-cycle blocks, each about 1,250 MW, with phased start-up in 2030, 2031 and 2032. The developer holds purchase options on roughly 700 contiguous acres, of which about 150 acres will contain the plant.

The project promises roughly 2,000 construction jobs and around 100 permanent roles, and will feed power into the PJM Interconnection grid. County Commissioner Scott Dunn facilitated the deal by advising property owners to seek legal counsel and meet the developer’s timelines. The plant will draw water from the river, treat a portion, and return it, while a special-purpose vehicle representing the U.S. and Japanese governments will own the site.