Georgia Power has filed a request with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to certify about 9,900 megawatts (MW) of new energy resources. The company says this step is needed to support Georgia’s growing electricity demand. Of the total, roughly 8,000 MW comes from proposals selected through an “all-source” request for proposals (RFP), a process approved in the utility’s 2022 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The RFP aimed to identify cost-effective and efficient options for new generation and storage resources that can be ready between 2029 and 2031.
The requested projects include power purchase agreements from existing facilities, as well as plans for new company-owned natural gas plants, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and solar-plus-storage projects. According to Georgia Power, these additions are designed to help maintain reliable service for customers during periods of high demand.
Alongside the main filing, Georgia Power also submitted a separate request seeking approval for an additional 1,886 MW of supplemental resources. This second filing addresses nearer-term needs not met by the All-Source RFP and includes contracts for both existing generation and new 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. This helps ensure that customers have the energy they need well into the future. 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 company continues its transition toward cleaner natural gas generation as part of its broader strategy to reduce carbon emissions—a reduction it reports at over 60% since 2007—and serve customers affordably. New combined cycle units totaling nearly 3,700 MW are planned at Plant Bowen in Bartow County (two units), Plant McIntosh in Effingham County (one unit), and Plant Wansley in Heard County (two units). These sites were chosen based on their ability to support grid stability across different regions.
Georgia Power is also expanding its use of battery storage technology throughout the state. Construction is underway on several BESS projects totaling 765 MW across Bibb, Lowndes, Floyd, and Cherokee counties. In its latest filing with regulators, Georgia Power seeks approval for ten more BESS facilities spread across eight sites with a combined capacity exceeding 3 GW. Many will be located at or near existing company properties or substations.
Additionally, two large-scale solar-plus-storage systems are planned: one in Laurens County combining 200 MW each of solar panels and batteries; another near former Plant Mitchell in Dougherty County pairing 150 MW each of solar power and batteries.
The filings also cover eleven additional power purchase agreements amounting to more than 2.8 GW from new BESS projects under construction or planned natural gas facilities within Georgia.
More information about these initiatives can be found at www.GeorgiaPower.com.
