Georgia Power Plans to Phase Out Coal-Fired Generation, Double Renewables by 2035

Georgia Power on Jan. 31 filed its 2022 Integrated Resource Plan with the Georgia Public Service Commission, proposing to close all of its coal assets by 2035. The company intends to retire a total of 12 generation assets producing more than 3,500 megawatts by 2028. To assist this asset transformation, the utility is planning to procure an extra 2,356 megawatts of capacity from natural gas power purchase agreements and considerably boost its renewable capacity. The company  intends to double its renewable output by adding 6,000 megawatts of capacity by 2035, which includes a request for approval for 2,300 megawatts in the resource plan.

The new planned capacity would increase the company’s renewable source portfolio to around 11.5 gigawatts by 2035. Moreover, the company plans to request consent to own and manage 1,000 megawatts of energy storage by 2030.  Georgia Power also recognizes long duration storage, hydrogen, tall wind technologies and distributed energy resources as fields of potential investment.

Georgia Power is also evaluating an extension of the operating license for Plant Hatch Units 1-2 as the license renewal will enable the company to preserve the option of continued operation of these units beyond their current 60-year licenses.

Georgia Power documents an IRP with the commission every three years to summarise its long term future plans to continue delivering clean, affordable energy to its customers. The 2022 IRP consists of a detailed analysis on projection of future fuel costs, an analysis on available generation technologies, a 10-year transmission plan and a comprehensive environmental strategy. In the IRP Georgia Power also evaluates the cost effectiveness of its generation resources, amid a backdrop of changing environmental regulation and emerging technologies.

The IRP details Georgia Powers plan to transform its fleet to more cost-effective and cleaner resources. Furthermore, the plan depicts the companies’ investments in its transmission system to make it sharper, reliable, and resilient.  Moreover, the IRP focuses on defining its pathway to doubling its renewable and solar capacity, energy storage solutions and pioneering energy efficiency programs for customers.