Georgia Power Company proposed to close four of its coal generation units at Plant Hammond and one unit at Plant McIntosh as part of its 2019 integrated resource plan filed with the Georgia Public Service Commission on Jan. 31. Hammond and McIntosh plants have a capacity 800 megawatts and 163 megawatts, respectively. The company requested decertification of the plants citing “continued economic pressure felt on coal-fired units”. The 20-year plan seeks to procure up to 1 gigawatts of new renewable resources, which would increase the company’s renewable capacity to 18 percent by 2024.

The plan includes energy-saving programs designed to help reduce peak demand by about 1.6 gigawatts by 2022, which is 10 percent of the company’s current peak demand. The company also asked the commission to approve its environmental compliance strategy, which includes plans to permanently close ash ponds in full compliance with the federal Coal Combustion Residuals rule, as well as the more stringent requirements of Georgia’s rule.

Georgia Power is a subsidiary of Southern Company.