Georgia Power asked the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) for permission to generate more electricity from fossil fuels on Friday, citing demand for energy that is 17 times higher than they expected in 2022.
The company attributed Georgia’s increased energy needs to the state’s “extraordinary economic growth” and status as “one of the fastest growing states in the country” in an update to its 2023 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), saying “significantly increased” energy needs of new businesses “bringing electrical loads at a scale” means the company will require additional resources.
Demand for electricity is approximately 17 times higher than the company anticipated during its 2022 planning process. The company requested an extension on purchase agreements for electricity from other states, an increase to its solar energy capacity, and roughly a 30 percent increase to the amount of fossil fuels it can use.
Though the company did not provide details about which businesses are responsible for the increased demand, Georgia Power reported the additional strain on Georgia’s power grid came after Hyundai Motor Group began work at a factory which produces batteries for electric vehicles, and electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian began production in the state.
The latest requests from Georgia Power come sooner than anticipated, noted The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which reported that a 20-year energy plan was approved by the PSC just months before their updated IRP was made available on October 27. Before requesting permission to expand its energy production from fossil fuels, the company reportedly planned to shutter all but one of its coal-fired power plants by 2028.
While one of Georgia Power’s new nuclear facilities became partially operational earlier this year, the company paid $400 million to settle a lawsuit with its nuclear energy partner that will also keep one of its new nuclear reactors offline until March 2024.
The company previously made headlines after it requested a rate hike for customers, citing increased costs of fuel sources in 2022. Their request was granted, and the average Georgia Power customer saw about their monthly electricity bill increase by about 12 percent in June. At the time, Georgia Power said it expected to end 2023 with about $4.5 billion in debt.
Georgia Power has more than 2.7 million customers throughout the state, and generates electricity at coal, gas, hydroelectric, nuclear, oil, and solar facilities. In 2022, the company said about 48 percent of its energy came from gas and oil, 23 percent from nuclear, 15 percent from coal, and 14 percent from hydroelectric or other renewable resources.
Since 2021, Georgia Power has increased its reliance on gas and oil for energy production, but also increased the amount of nuclear energy it generates.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Georgia Star News and a reporter for the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Georgia Power Lineman” by Georgia Power.
