Blackstone to pay $1B for 620-MW Pennsylvania natural gas plant

Core Insights - Blackstone's private equity arm is acquiring the Hill Top Energy Center, a 620-MW natural gas power plant in Pennsylvania, for nearly $1 billion [1][3] - The acquisition price of approximately $1,600 per kilowatt is higher than recent gas plant purchases, reflecting various influencing factors [2] - The total value of natural gas plant acquisitions in 2024 has surpassed $4.3 billion, a significant increase from $3.1 billion in 2023, with individual plant values roughly doubling since 2020 [2] Acquisition Details - The Hill Top acquisition is part of Blackstone Energy Transition Partners' strategy, which includes a previous purchase of the Potomac Energy Center, a 774-MW plant in Virginia for a similar price [3] - Blackstone has been developing or constructing around 1,600 MW of new power generation capacity in the U.S. over the past three and a half years [5] Strategic Importance - Blackstone emphasizes that Hill Top is one of the newest and most efficient combined cycle gas turbine plants in the U.S., positioned to support power needs for data centers and other applications in the PJM market [6] - The company plans to invest over $25 billion to enhance Pennsylvania's digital and energy infrastructure, aiming to catalyze an additional $60 billion investment in the state [5]