FERC OKs NRG’s 19 GW purchase of LS Power gas-fired and demand response assets

Core Insights - The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved NRG Energy's acquisition of 12.9 GW in gas-fired power plants and a demand response company from LS Power for approximately $12 billion, asserting that the deal would not harm market competition [1][2] Group 1: Deal Details - NRG's capacity in the PJM market will increase from 2.1 GW to 9.5 GW, and its capacity in New York will rise from 1.2 GW to 2.2 GW as a result of the acquisition [3] - The transaction will effectively double NRG's generating fleet, including three power plants in Texas totaling nearly 2,060 MW and two power plants in New England totaling 940 MW [4] - As part of the deal, LS Power will receive about 11% of NRG's outstanding stock and $6.4 billion in cash, while NRG will assume approximately $3.2 billion in debt from LS Power [6] Group 2: Market Context - NRG claims that the U.S. power markets are experiencing an "unprecedented supercycle" after 15 years of stagnant demand growth, with new gas-fired generation unlikely to come online until the 2030s due to supply chain, labor constraints, and regulatory issues [5] Group 3: Regulatory Approval - The transaction is expected to close early next year, pending approval from the New York State Public Service Commission [6]