A plan for Texas to build its own power plants could cost $7 billion more than expected

A natural gas power plant next to the Guadalupe River in Victoria. The Texas Senate's plan to spur construction of more gas-fired power plants across the state for emergencies will cost about $7 billion more than initial estimates, according to a presentation by the Lower Colorado River Authority. (Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune)

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A plan that the state Senate approved last week to build up to 10 gigawatts of on-demand power could cost about $18 billion to construct natural gas-fueled power plants with fuel stored on-site, according to an estimate from the Lower Colorado River Authority.