Port of Brownsville touts $60B in projects, plus a new power plant on the horizon

There’s no shortage of activity inside the Port of Brownsville, especially over the past year, as plans for several major projects appear to be moving forward. 

There are at least $60 billion in projects already underway: $36 billion from Rio Grande LNG, $6 billion from Texas LNG, and $3.6 billion from America First Refining, $100 million for Forza Steel, $3 billion from Saronic, $3 billion from Karpowership, and other projects totaling $12 billion. 

“Individually, each of these investments commands attention. Together, they represent nothing short of a transformation,” said John Reed, commissioner for the Port of Brownsville Board and former chairman. 

That doesn’t include the SpaceX rocket-building and launch facility next to the port, which now plans to build a natural gas pipeline across the channel to its site and to establish a location along the ship channel to ship some of its rockets to Florida. 

There’s currently an estimated $30 billion of investment in the development pipeline and 20,000 jobs on the horizon, Port of Brownsville officials announced on Thursday during its annual State of the Port event in Rancho Viejo. 

“Each project draws international attention to our coastline, our workforce, and our infrastructure. And we intend to continue building on that momentum by attracting suppliers, innovators, and industries that want to be part of that ecosystem,” Reed said. 

The Port of Brownsville saw 1,400 vessel calls (cargo loading and unloading), 450,000 truck movements (loading and unloading), 80,000 rail car movements, and 12 million tons of commodities moved through pipelines in fiscal year 2025. In the coming months, a massive channel deepening project from 42 feet to 52 feet is expected to be completed. 

More development means a need for access to infrastructure, from water to electricity, but the Rio Grande Valley has struggled to keep up with demand for power in particular, and industrial users require significantly more than residential properties. 

“One of our priorities has been ensuring an adequate water supply for future development. That is why we have worked on an agreement with the Brownsville Irrigation District to secure 2,000 acre-feet of water for industrial use while also collaborating closely with the Brownsville Public Utilities Board to identify long-term solutions for future demand. We’re mindful of the challenges and actively planning today for the needs of future generations,” Reed said. 

Electric companies, from the Brownsville Public Utilities Board to transmission grid providers such as AEP Texas, are working to upgrade the electric grid, but demand has increased significantly in recent years. 

That’s why a Miami-based developer is proposing to build Synergia Energy Park, a 350-acre site along Highway 48 inside the port for a natural gas-fired power plant and microgrid. The Port of Brownsville is negotiating a 5-year lease with the company, with an additional 5-year renewal. 

Synergia expects to offer the electricity to Port of Brownsville tenants first before selling any excess electricity to the market on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas grid. There are even plans for a small modular reactor, a scaled-down nuclear power plant, which would be developed in conjunction with a Texas-based university. 

Synergia told the Brownsville Navigation District board in January 2026 that it expects to spend $558.5 million during the first three phases of the project and support 650 jobs — both direct and indirect. 

“The same is true for power infrastructure; the board is currently in negotiations with Synergia on the proposed 1.5 gigawatt natural gas power generation facility on approximately 350 acres of port property,” Reed said. “This project will provide additional power reliability for industrial operations while helping support the growing energy needs of our surrounding communities. This growth is not accidental; it is a result of strategic investment, disciplined planning, and long-term commitment.”