HALLSVILLE, Texas, June 8 — Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) and parent company American Electric Power have completed a major construction milestone at the Hallsville site, formerly home to the retired H.W. Pirkey Power Plant, as work continues on a proposed natural gas-fired generation facility.
The companies recently completed a large-scale concrete pour for the new turbine foundation, a key step in preparing the site for further construction. The operation was conducted continuously over nine hours and required coordination among construction crews, equipment and logistics to meet structural and performance requirements.
A total of 89 concrete trucks supported the foundation pour, making it one of the largest civil construction activities at the site to date. The project also marks SWEPCO’s first new thermal power plant development since the completion of the John W. Turk Jr. Power Plant more than a decade ago.
The proposed Hallsville Natural Gas Plant is designed to provide 450 megawatts of generating capacity. The facility has received regulatory approval in Arkansas and is expected to begin commercial operations in December 2027.
SWEPCO said the project is part of broader investments aimed at supporting customer growth, maintaining system reliability and encouraging economic development across its service territory.
The company also recently issued an all-source request for proposals seeking additional generation resources to meet future electricity demand across the region.