NRG Energy Surges 31.32% in Two Days as $12 Billion Acquisition Ranks 66th in Market Activity

NRG Energy (NRG) shares surged 4.05% on May 13, marking the second consecutive day of gains, with a total increase of 31.32% over the past two days. The company's trading volume reached 12.46 billion, ranking it 66th in the day's market activity.

NRG Energy has announced a significant acquisition, purchasing 18 natural gas-fired power plants from LS Power in a $12 billion deal. This acquisition is set to double NRG's generation capacity, adding approximately 13 GW to its portfolio. The facilities are spread across nine states, including Texas and the U.S. Northeast, and are expected to enhance NRG's ability to meet the growing demand for electricity, particularly from industrial customers such as data centers.

NRG Energy's CEO, Larry Cohen, highlighted the strategic importance of this acquisition, noting that it positions the company to capitalize on the anticipated rise in power demand. The deal includes the acquisition of CPower, a commercial and industrial virtual power plant (VPP) platform, which integrates multiple energy resources to provide additional power for the grid. NRG will pay $6.4 billion in cash, $2.8 billion in stocks, and assume $3.2 billion of net debt from LS Power.

This acquisition is part of NRG's broader strategy to expand its generation capacity and enhance its product offerings. The company has been actively pursuing growth opportunities, including the acquisition of 738 MW of gas-fired assets from Rockland Capital earlier this year and signing power supply deals with data center developers. NRG is also collaborating with GE Vernova to develop up to 5.4 GW of new natural gas-fired generation capacity.

The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026 and is seen as a forward-looking move by NRG to meet the increasing demand for flexible power generation. The deal significantly increases NRG's overall generation capacity portfolio and expands its reach into wholesale electricity markets nationwide. This strategic move is anticipated to strengthen NRG's credit profile and support robust capital returns, positioning the company to lead the way in providing reliable energy solutions.