Georgia Power has started building two new combined-cycle natural gas units at Plant Bowen in Bartow County, Georgia, US, with a combined capacity of nearly 1.5GW.
The new units are part of Georgia Power’s efforts to address increasing electricity demand across the state, said the subsidiary of electric utility Southern Company.
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The project follows approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) as part of the utility’s broader strategy to support population and economic growth by expanding and modernising its generation mix.
Plant Bowen, which began commercial operations in 1975, currently features four coal-fired units with a combined capacity of 3.37GW.
Over the decades, Georgia Power has maintained Plant Bowen as a core asset in its energy portfolio, supporting state reliability and grid stability.
Georgia Power is also investing in a 500MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at Plant Bowen. This system is part of ongoing efforts to integrate storage into the grid and enhance operational flexibility as electricity demand patterns evolve.
The company cited further investments across the state of Georgia. These include upgrades at Plant Scherer and the recent completion of the Moody Battery Facility near Valdosta, which brings an additional 49.5MW of battery storage to the grid with a four-hour discharge duration.
Georgia Power’s long-term infrastructure plan, approved by the PSC, includes further natural gas expansions at Plant Wansley, Plant McIntosh and Plant Yates. The plan also involves more than 1,000 miles of new transmission lines and development of additional large-scale BESS in the years to come.
In February, Southern Company and the US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing announced a loan package of up to $26.5bn to support eligible power generation, transmission and grid modernisation projects across Georgia and Alabama.
According to Georgia Power, the loans are intended to strengthen the region’s energy infrastructure and are forecast to deliver an estimated $7.3bn in electricity cost savings for customers over a 30-year loan period.
Georgia Power chairman, president and CEO Kim Greene said: “For more than 50 years, Plant Bowen has been about more than just megawatts – it has been a source of pride and a cornerstone of the Northwest Georgia community, providing high-quality careers and a positive economic force for this entire region.
“As we celebrate the new investments we are making to serve our customers across the state, and the future of this incredible plant, alongside our partners from the Department of Energy and many local, state and federal officials, we remain committed to making growth work for our customers with higher reliability and lower rates.”
Georgia Power is said to have invested in emissions-control technology over several decades at Plant Bowen and Plant Scherer, including scrubbers, selective catalytic reduction systems and baghouses. The company reports a reduction in main air emissions of more than 95%.
These measures have been implemented alongside ongoing updates to the generation fleet and the expansion of gas, battery storage, nuclear, hydroelectric and transmission assets.
Earlier this year, Georgia Power began construction on a BESS with 260MW of capacity in Jefferson County, Georgia. Located near Wadley, the BESS project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
