State Regulator Approves Georgia Power's Plan to Build Four BESS Projects

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) recently approved Georgia Power's (Atlanta, Georgia) plan to build 500 megawatts (MW) worth of battery energy storage systems (BESS) across four sites in Georgia, according to the Capitol Beat News Service. Industrial Info is tracking $5 billion worth of active and planned projects attributed to Georgia Power, the state's largest utility.

Georgia Power is a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE:SO) (Atlanta, Georgia).

The approval, which was handed down December 3, comes after the commission's Public Interest Advocacy (PIA) Staff filed testimony earlier this year recommending the commission approve the projects but also offering specific stipulations. Under an agreement reached in October with the PIA, Georgia Power will file quarterly reports while the projects are underway--updating spending and construction progress, among other elements.

In a proposed order filed December 3, the PSC said it "finds and concludes that the terms of the stipulation [document] are supported by the evidence in the record ... The commission further finds that the evidence presented supports the finding that the resources will provide a reliable supply of electric power when needed by Georgia retail customers and finds that certification is appropriate."

Industrial Info is tracking the projects as having a medium probability (81-99%) of beginning construction in March 2026.

Two of the battery energy storage systems would be built adjacent to air force bases and co-located with operational solar farms. The Warner Robins BESS in Houston County and the Moody BESS in Lowndes County will utilize Tesla Incorporated's (NASDAQ:TSLA) (Austin, Texas) Megapack lithium-ion battery technology to provide 128 MW and 49.5 MW of battery-storage capacity, respectively. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can read detailed information on the Warner Robins and Moody projects.

The third project is the standalone, 57.5-MW Hammond BESS in Floyd County (see project report), while the fourth will double capacity (by adding a 265-MW unit) at the McGrau Ford BESS facility being built in Cherokee County. Construction of the grassroot, 265-MW BESS began earlier this year, with completion expected around the end of 2026. Subscribers can read detailed reports for the grassroot buildout and addition.

Georgia Power initially included the four-project portfolio in an update to its 2023 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) filed with the PSC in October 2023, which the regulatory agency subsequently approved in April of this year. The company said it anticipates adding a total of approximately 10,000 MW of new renewable resources by 2035, which is nearly double the 6,000 MW projected in the 2022 IRP. For more information on the 2023 IRP update, see April 24, 2024, article - Georgia Power Gets OK for New Resources to Meet Demand.

Georgia Power's parent company, Southern Company, is working to boost its overall renewables portfolio. For more information, see November 22, 2024, article - Southern Company Boosts Renewable Capacity, Keeps Coal in Play.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Database can click here for a look at all of the projects discussed in this article and here for the plant profiles.

Click here for a full list of active and planned projects attributed to Georgia Power.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).