conservation leader

Houston energy exec to chair Texas parks board

Jeff Hildebrand will lead the organization that protects and conserves Texas parks. Photo via texasbusiness.org

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, or TPWC has named its newest chair, and the job went to a Houston energy executive.

Governor Greg Abbott named billionaire Jeff Hildebrand as chair of the Parks And Wildlife Commission, effective August 31. The organization "manages and conserves the natural and cultural resources of Texas and provides hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations," according to a news release from the state. In the announcement, William “Leslie” Doggett was also named to the commission.

Hildebrand replaces Arch "Beaver" Aplin, the CEO of Buc-ee’s, who served as the chair for the past two years.

“I thank (Aplin) for faithfully serving his fellow Texans to preserve the beautiful Texas landscape that spurs our booming tourism industry and protects our state's rich history," says Governor Abbott in the release. "Jeff Hildebrand and William Doggett both bring unique experiences to the Commission and will help ensure that Texans, and out-of-state visitors alike, continue to enjoy Texas’ outdoors and recreational activities for generations to come.”

Hildebrand, the richest person in Houston with a net worth at $10.2 billion according to Forbes, is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Houston-based Hilcorp Energy Company, a privately held energy exploration and production company. He also serves as a director for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Central Houston Civil Improvement, and Central Houston Inc. A University of Texas alumnus, he was formerly the chairman of The University of Texas/Texas A&M Investment Management Company and served as the gubernatorial appointed vice chair for the UT System Board of Regents, among other roles.

Doggett, another Houston executive, is the executive chairman and founder of the Doggett Equipment Services Group and the Doggett Auto Group, which has 47 dealerships throughout Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico. He's also a UT alumnus and a member of the World Presidents Organization, and a trustee of the Houston Methodist Research & Academic Institute, The Kinkaid School, San Jacinto Monument and Texas History Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston – Rienzi.

This year marks the centennial celebration for the organization, which is led by the commission. Governor Pat Neff worked with Texas leaders to create the State Parks Board in 1923 to create a place where Texans “might go and forget the anxiety and strife and vexation of life's daily grind,” per the website.

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A View From HETI

A new joint venture will work on four projects supplying 5 gigawatts of power from combined-cycle power plants for the ERCOT and PJM Interconnection grids. Photo via Getty Images.

Houston-based power provider NRG Energy Inc. has formed a joint venture with two other companies to meet escalating demand for electricity to fuel the rise of data centers and the evolution of generative AI.

NRG’s partners in the joint venture are GE Vernova, a provider of renewable energy equipment and services, and TIC – The Industrial Co., a subsidiary of construction and engineering company Kiewit.

“The growing demand for electricity in part due to GenAI and the buildup of data centers means we need to form new, innovative partnerships to quickly increase America’s dispatchable generation,” Robert Gaudette, head of NRG Business and Wholesale Operations, said in a news release. “Working together, these three industry leaders are committed to executing with speed and excellence to meet our customers’ generation needs.”

Initially, the joint venture will work on four projects supplying 5 gigawatts of power from combined-cycle power plants, which uses a combination of natural gas and steam turbines that produce additional electricity from natural gas waste. Electricity from these projects will be produced for power grids operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and PJM Interconnection. The projects are scheduled to come online from 2029 through 2032.

The joint venture says the model it’s developing for these four projects is “replicable and scalable,” with the potential for expansion across the U.S.

The company is also developing a new 721-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle unit at its Cedar Bayou plant in Baytown, Texas. Read more here.

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