On Tuesday, the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) approved Georgia Power’s 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), a significant step towards ensuring the company’s capacity to meet the energy needs of customers amid the state’s anticipated growth.
This decision comes after a thorough process involving months of filings, hearings, and public discussions surrounding the comprehensive energy plan originally submitted by Georgia Power in January.
The approval followed a stipulated agreement reached last week that included the company, PSC Public Interest Advocacy (PIA) Staff, and several intervenors.
Georgia Power has emphasized its commitment to collaborating with all stakeholders to design strategies that will effectively address future energy demand, ensure reliability and resilience in the power grid, and maintain affordable energy costs for customers.
Kim Greene, chairman, president, and CEO of Georgia Power, stated, “As our state continues to grow and thrive, the approval of this comprehensive plan helps to ensure we have the resources and programs we need to reliably and economically meet the future energy needs of our customers.”
He expressed gratitude to all who contributed to the development of the plan and recognized the PSC for its careful consideration and endorsement of a strategy to deliver essential energy services to Georgians.
Looking ahead to the next six years, Georgia Power projections anticipate approximately 8,500 megawatts (MW) of electrical load growth, translating to around a 2,600 MW increase in peak demand by the end of 2030 relative to assessments made in the 2023 IRP Update.
This projected growth will drive continued collaboration with the Georgia PSC to monitor energy demand, including regular updates through quarterly filings of Large Load Economic Development Reports and additional load forecast reviews in the coming years.
The approved 2025 IRP will facilitate vital investments in Georgia Power’s generation fleet and transmission system, allowing the company to continue delivering reliable and resilient energy while enhancing demand-side and customer-focused renewable initiatives.
Furthermore, the strategic plan includes the establishment of adequate reserve margins to guarantee sufficient power supply during high-demand periods, such as extreme weather conditions.
Georgia Power’s history spans over 140 years, during which the company has constructed and upgraded power plants throughout the state to adequately serve a growing customer base.
The company’s diverse energy generation mix has evolved in tandem with advancements in technology, positioning Georgia Power as a leader in research and development within the Southern Company system.
The approval of the 2025 IRP will enable Georgia Power to continue investing in existing power plants to meet the evolving requirements of Georgia’s energy landscape, concentrating on efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Key enhancements approved include the extended power uprates to reliable, emission-free nuclear units.
With the successful completion of the Plant Vogtle expansion last year, Georgia Power has solidified its position as the home of the largest generator of clean energy in the U.S.
The IRP also details the company’s plans to reinvest in Vogtle Units 1 and 2 to allow these units to provide an additional 54 MW of carbon-free energy.
Additionally, preliminary planning and engineering were approved for potential future capacity uprates at Hatch Units 1 and 2.
The plan includes upgrades for existing power plants, such as the addition of 268 MW of natural gas capacity at Plant McIntosh, alongside approvals for the continued operation of certain coal and natural gas units through at least 2034.
Georgia Power has received the green light to keep coal-fired units at Plants Bowen and Scherer operational, which have historically provided reliable service with a combined capacity of 4,000 MW.
New strategies for natural gas co-firing at these plants will aid compliance with federal environmental regulations, with advances in technology leading to a remarkable 95% reduction in air emissions from these units over recent decades.
Continued modernization initiatives also extend to Georgia’s hydroelectric fleet, with the approved IRP facilitating further investments and upgrades at the Tallulah, Yonah, Bartlett’s Ferry, and North Highlands hydro facilities.
These units, some of which are over a century old, are expected to undergo enhancements that will extend their operational lifespan by at least 40 years while improving efficiency.
Moreover, the company anticipates submitting additional hydro investments in the 2028 IRP.
The approved 2025 IRP also emphasizes the importance of expanding renewable energy procurement through competitive request for proposal (RFP) processes.
This approach will help Georgia Power adapt to shifting market dynamics while increasing carbon-free energy provision for customers.
The long-term plan aims for the procurement of up to 4,000 MW of renewable resources by 2035, with an initial goal of obtaining 1,100 MW of new renewable resources through competitive Utility Scale and Distributed Generation procurements.
This will allow Georgia Power to elevate its renewable resource portfolio to around 11,000 MW by 2035.
Additionally, the incorporation of energy and capacity from new battery energy storage (BESS) projects is planned as part of all-source capacity RFPs, contributing to the company’s existing plans to augment over 1,500 MW of BESS in the forthcoming years.
Strengthening the power grid to enhance reliability and resiliency remains central to Georgia Power’s objectives.
The company’s investment in an integrated transmission system over the last decade has led to improved service reliability, resulting in fewer and shorter power interruptions for customers.
In conjunction with this, strategic expansion of the smart grid has yielded significant benefits, particularly during severe weather events like Hurricane Helene and Winter Storm Cora.
The approved 2025 IRP encompasses a 10-year transmission plan that outlines critical improvements necessary to sustain a reliable transmission system capable of transmitting energy from both new and existing power plants.
This comprehensive plan includes the addition of new transmission resources across over 1,000 miles of lines, enhancing the efficiency and sturdiness of the energy network required for Georgia’s growth.
As stipulated in the agreement reached and approved by the PSC, Georgia Power will provide biannual updates to the PIA Staff regarding various projects and will continuously evaluate alternative solutions for each project while considering associated expenses and advantages.
Furthermore, the company has committed to implementing a structured approach to assess new grid-enhancing technologies to meet increasing power capacity needs.
This integration strategy will facilitate the reliable incorporation of Georgia’s growing solar generation and BESS.
The approved 2025 IRP also reflects Georgia Power’s efforts to remain responsive to customer needs through a range of innovative programs.
The company is determined to meet the evolving demand for emission-free, sustainable, and resilient energy, exemplified by the introduction of a solar plus storage program for residential and small commercial consumers.
Additional initiatives include a distributed energy resource (DER)-enabled demand response program tailored to meet the capacity and resiliency requirements of large consumers.
Moreover, existing renewable customer subscription programs will be broadened to facilitate increased integration of renewable resources to satisfy customer demand.
A noteworthy aspect of the approved plan includes the launch of an Electric Transportation “Vehicle to Everything” pilot project, which will collaborate with public school systems to explore the potential benefits of underutilized electric vehicle batteries for the grid.
To address the needs of customers facing the most challenges, the approved 2025 IRP emphasizes demand-side management offerings.
Georgia Power will continue and expand successful initiatives like Energy Assistance for Savings and Efficiency (EASE) and HopeWorks, alongside various adjustments to existing programs.
In a bid to empower customers to save on energy costs, the 2025 IRP includes enhancements to Georgia Power’s suite of customer tools.
New online residential energy audit tools and a dedicated team of residential energy experts will be introduced to assist customers in understanding and managing their energy consumption, while also addressing affordability issues.
For further information on Georgia Power’s initiatives and its diverse energy portfolio, interested parties can visit www.GeorgiaPower.com.
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