Georgia Power asked state energy regulators Thursday to certify 9,900 megawatts of new energy resources that would come from a variety of power-generating projects.
In a filing with the Georgia Public Service Commission, the Atlanta-based utility proposed projects the PSC already has approved in Georgia Power’s last two Integrated Resource plans (IRPs), which the company submits every three years outlining the mix of energy sources it intends to rely on for power generation during the coming years.
About 8,000 megawatts would come from bids received from an “all-source” request for proposals the commission approved in the 2022 IRP. The projects include power-purchase agreements (PPAs) from existing resources as well as new company-owned natural gas generation, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and projects that combine BESS and solar.
A second filing requests certification of 1,886 megawatts that would come from projects the PSC approved this month in the utility’s 2025 IRP, including PPAs from existing resources, new battery energy storage construction, and company-owned BESS paired with solar.
“Every day, around the clock, during periods of extreme heat, extreme cold, and everything in between, our teams are working to keep reliable energy flowing for millions of Georgians,” said Rick Anderson, senior vice president and senior production officer for Georgia Power.
“That includes the culmination of years of proactively planning for filings like this that our generation plant teams and many others work diligently on in selecting the right future resources. … The diverse mix of resources we have proposed to the Georgia PSC will help us meet the needs of a growing Georgia with reliable and resilient energy while delivering long-term value for all of our customers.”
The list of projects includes previously approved new gas turbines to be built at Georgia Power’s Plant Yates near Newnan and Plant McIntosh near Savannah as well as a request for five additional turbines – two at Plant Bowen near Cartersville, two at Plant Wansley in Heard County, and one at Plant McIntosh.
Environmental groups have opposed the new gas turbines as a doubling down on Georgia Power’s commitment to continue using fossil fuels for power generation rather than more aggressive investment in renewable energy.
On the other hand, Georgia Power is stepping up its reliance on battery energy storage systems as a way to improve the efficiency of renewable power. Construction is currently underway on new BESS projects in Bibb, Lowndes, Floyd, and Cherokee counties, while the company is seeking certification of 10 new BESS facilities at eight sites across the state.
Georgia Power also is requesting approval of two new state-of-the-art solar systems paired with BESS. Those would be located in Laurens County and at the site of the former Plant Mitchell in Dougherty County.
The PSC will hold hearings on the two certification requests in October and early December, with a vote set for Dec. 19.
