EPCOR Utilities Inc. (EPCOR), a North American utility company with extensive experience developing water transmission, treatment and distribution networks in the United States and Canada, is currently evaluating the potential to develop a seawater desalination facility on the south shore of Galveston Bay.

The proposed Bayshore Desalination Facility would be located in Texas City on the site of the former P.H. Robinson Generating Station. The plant was fully decommissioned by 2008, and the land has remained undeveloped and unused since the closure of that facility.

The Bayshore Desalination Facility would respond to mounting water supply challenges across Texas, including Galveston, Harris, and Brazoria counties. Our region’s rapidly growing population, along with increased water use by businesses relocating to the area, is placing strain on existing water resources. Southeast Texas currently relies on the Brazos River and local groundwater—sources that are increasingly vulnerable due to frequent drought conditions and subsidence concerns.

EPCOR’s proposal supports the State Water Plan, which—through the Texas Water Development Board and ten regional water planning groups—recommends developing seawater, brackish groundwater, and surface water desalination facilities to address projected supply demands through 2070.

To support the permitting process for the proposed facility, extensive environmental studies with external partners and bay system experts have been conducted. It is important that any facility be a sustainable water treatment plant with safeguards that protect the ecosystems in and around Galveston Bay.