Tuesday, April 1, 2025–7:00 p.m.

-Staff reports-

In 2022, Georgia Power announced plans to close nearly all of its coal fleet in a shift toward natural gas and renewable energy, but now the utility is seeking to keep some of their coal-burning plants open into the 2030s.

As part of the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan, the company has proposed the extended operation of certain coal and natural gas units through at least 2034, with additional upgrades and compliance activities planned at multiple facilities.

This effort includes the continued operations at Plant Bowen in Bartow County.

During a PSC hearing last week, Jeff Grubb, director of resources and policy planning with Georgia Power, was asked about the economics of keeping the coal-fired units operational, especially in light of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Rule 111, which sets standards of performance for new, modified, and reconstructed power plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“While we are spending money on those units—if we have to do 111—then it is still economical to keep those units as opposed to retiring them and building 4,500 megawatts of new generation,” Grubb said.

Over the next six years, Georgia Power projects approximately 8,200 megawatts of electrical load growth – an increase of more than 2,200 MW in peak demand by the end of 2030 when compared to projections in the 2023 IRP Update.