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Utility Dive4 days ago

NRG has ‘zero interest’ in speculative new capacity build: CEO

Key Takeaway

NRG's strict 12-15% unlevered hurdle rate signals a highly conservative approach to new capacity investment, prioritizing financial certainty over speculative growth, which could impact future supply dynamics and developer opportunities.

AI Summary

  • NRG CEO Larry Coben stated the company will only pursue new capacity builds that meet a strict 12-15% unlevered hurdle rate.
  • This policy indicates NRG's complete disinterest in speculative projects, prioritizing financial certainty and high returns over market expansion.
  • For developers, this means NRG is an unlikely partner or off-taker for projects without clear, robust financial guarantees.
  • For large power consumers and IPPs, this signals a cautious approach to new generation investment from a major player, potentially impacting future capacity availability and pricing if other utilities adopt similar strategies.

Topics

capacity-marketfinancing