U.S. and South Korea back $22.3B Texas energy campus

The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Republic of Korea have selected Related Companies and NextEra Energy Resources (NYSE: NEE), in partnership with Lewis Energy Group, to develop Project Star, a $22.3 billion natural gas energy infrastructure campus in Encinal, Texas.

The project will generate 6.47 gigawatts of power to support an adjacent 5 GW data center campus being developed by Related Digital, with excess generation returned to the ERCOT grid. Lewis Energy Group will supply the land, natural gas, and produced water for the facility.

The announcement is tied to the trade deal between the U.S. and South Korea announced July 30, 2025, and a Strategic Investment MOU signed November 14 of that year. Under the joint trade agreement structure, the energy campus will be co-owned by the U.S. and South Korea, and built and operated by the Related/NextEra Energy Resources joint venture. Korean companies are expected to contribute technology and supply chain support.

Development is planned in phases, with initial generation capacity anticipated as early as 2029, subject to permitting and regulatory approvals. The project is expected to create an estimated 8,400 jobs at peak construction and approximately 170 permanent positions once operational, with additional permanent jobs tied to the adjacent data center campus.

"Project Star demonstrates how energy infrastructure and economic growth can advance together," said John Ketchum, chairman and CEO of NextEra Energy. "By bringing new generation online to serve new demand, we're helping strengthen reliability, support investment and jobs and protect electricity customers."

NextEra Energy has previously invested more than $20 billion in Texas and operates over 9 GW of generation in the state. Related Digital currently has $55 billion in active data center development representing 6 GW of capacity across multiple U.S. states and Ontario, Canada. Lewis Energy Group, founded in 1983 and headquartered in San Antonio, is a vertically integrated energy company with operations concentrated in South Texas.

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