The U.S. Energy Department announced its largest-ever loan of $26.5 billion on Wednesday to bolster electric power in Georgia and Alabama, aiming to deliver over $7 billion in electricity cost savings. The department will allocate the loan to subsidiaries of the utility Southern Company. The loan will facilitate the establishment of new gas power, upgrades to existing nuclear power plants and water power, improvement of battery storage systems, and enhancement of power lines.Energy Secretary Chris Wright st ...

Investments to create an estimated $7 billion in benefits for Southern Company customers, helping lower energy costs and strengthen the grid, while advancing the president's energy dominance and affordability agenda ATLANTA, Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Customers across Alabama and Georgia are set to benefit from a historic U.S. government investment into energy infrastructure and grid reliability. Southern Company's subsidiaries, Georgia Power and Alabama Power, have received a loan package of up to $26.5 ...

Core Insights - Georgia Power has filed for a decrease in customer rates through two filings with the Georgia Public Service Commission, aiming to lower costs for customers starting in June [1] - The filings include a request for fuel cost recovery and storm cost recovery, which together are expected to result in a 1% rate decrease for the average retail customer [1] Fuel Cost Recovery - The first filing seeks to recover costs associated with fuel, including coal and natural gas, necessary for power generation [1] - Georgia Power has managed to reduce its fuel rate significantly due to a diverse generation mix and strategic fuel planning, which includes hedging to protect against future fuel price volatility [1] Storm Cost Recovery - The second filing addresses costs related to restoring electric service after storms, with a current under-recovery of $912 million in storm reserves, including nearly $800 million from Hurricane Helene in 2024 [1] - The company aims to recover these storm costs over the next four years while maintaining a focus on efficient and timely responses to severe weather [1] Customer Impact - If approved, the expected fuel savings will offset storm costs, resulting in an average savings of approximately $1.32 per month for typical residential customers using 1,000 kWh [1] - Georgia Power has historically maintained rates 15% below the national average since 1990 and plans to freeze base rates through at least 2028, providing annual savings of about $102 for typical residential customers after the next base rate case [1]

Core Insights - Georgia Power has successfully restored power to over 214,000 customers affected by Winter Storm Fern, with ongoing efforts focused on the hardest hit areas like Clayton and Cornelia [1][2] - The company is prepared to meet increased electricity demand due to severe cold weather expected to continue, supported by a diverse generation fleet [2][3] Restoration Efforts - Power restoration efforts involved crews working around the clock, with challenges due to icy conditions and damaged infrastructure in North Georgia [1][2] - The majority of remaining outages are in areas with extensive damage, and crews are converging to restore power as conditions improve [1] Generation Capacity and Reliability - Georgia Power's generation fleet includes nuclear, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric, and renewable sources, ensuring reliability during extreme weather [2] - The company has made significant investments in technology and winterization to maintain service reliability, avoiding interruptions seen in other markets [2][3] Customer Engagement and Support - Georgia Power encourages customers to stay informed about weather conditions and offers resources to help manage power usage during cold weather [3] - The company emphasizes the importance of reliability for both residential and business customers, highlighting its commitment to service [3] Company Overview - Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company, serving 2.8 million customers across Georgia [4] - The company maintains a diverse generation mix and offers rates below the national average, recognized for its customer satisfaction [4]

Core Insights - Oglethorpe Power has selected Kiewit Corp. as the lead contractor for a new natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant in Monroe County, Georgia, with a capacity of 1,425 MW [1] - The new facility aims to support long-term load growth across Oglethorpe's cooperative membership, which includes 38 member cooperatives [1] - Construction is expected to begin soon, with commercial operations planned for 2029 [1] Company Overview - Oglethorpe Power is headquartered in Tucker, Georgia, and serves approximately 4.7 million customers through its member cooperatives [1] - The company currently operates a 225-MW gas-fired facility and co-owns the coal-fired Plant Scherer in Monroe County [1] - Oglethorpe Power has about $16 billion in assets, invested in various energy sources including natural gas, nuclear, hydropower, and coal [1] Project Details - The Smarr Combined-Cycle facility will utilize GE Vernova's advanced 7HA.03 gas turbines, making it one of the highest performing and lowest-emitting natural gas plants in Georgia [1] - A notable design feature includes the use of air-cooled condensers, which will significantly reduce water consumption compared to traditional cooling towers [1] - The project is expected to create approximately 1,200 jobs at peak construction [1] Economic Impact - Local officials anticipate that the new power plant will generate substantial property and sales tax revenues, benefiting local schools and county services [1] - Oglethorpe Power is also hiring for around 30 permanent positions in operations, maintenance, and administration at the new facility [1] Industry Context - The growth in Georgia is driving increased energy demand, prompting Oglethorpe Power to invest in new generation resources to enhance the resiliency of its asset portfolio [1] - The company has announced two new natural gas generation projects in 2024, including the Smarr facility, to meet rising energy demands [1] - Natural gas is being prioritized due to its ability to be constructed within the necessary timeframe and its flexibility as a reliable energy resource [1]

Core Insights - The Georgia Public Service Commission has authorized Georgia Power to procure approximately 9.9 GW of new generation capacity to support the growing AI data center industry [1] - Data centers are projected to consume around 80% of the new power supply [1] Group 1: Capacity Expansion - The expansion plan includes 3.6 GW of new combined cycle natural gas generation, 3 GW of battery energy storage systems, 350 MW of solar with battery storage, and over 2.8 GW of power purchase agreements [2] - This expansion represents a 50% increase in capacity for Georgia Power, the state's largest electric utility [2] Group 2: Financial Implications - The project involves an investment of $16.3 billion to meet what regulators describe as insatiable demand from the AI data center sector [3] - Total costs for AI data center clients could reach between $50 billion and $60 billion over several decades, factoring in interest and guaranteed profits [3] Group 3: Regulatory and Risk Considerations - Critics express concerns that the plan may impose undue risk on consumers if demand from the technology sector declines [4] - The Public Service Commission has updated regulations for large-load customers, requiring data center clients to provide greater financial commitments and demonstrate infrastructure readiness [5] - Georgia Power has already filed over 3 GW of new customer contracts under these stricter criteria [5]

Plan will deliver estimated savings of approximately $102 per year for the typical residential customer; Growth continues to create thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars of positive economic impact expected across Georgia ATLANTA, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power announced today that the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved a plan which will allow the company to proceed with procuring approximately 9,900 megawatts (MW) of diverse, cost-effective generation resources to ser ...

Georgia PSC scheduled to vote on agreement this month to deliver estimated savings of approximately $102 per year for the typical residential customer ATLANTA, Dec. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Good news for Georgia families and businesses: Georgia Power has reached an agreement with the Public Interest Advocacy (PIA) Staff of the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) that, if approved, will help lower energy costs—all while meeting growing electricity demand across the state. The company announced today it h ...

Core Insights - Georgia Power is committed to enhancing energy reliability and resiliency through significant investments in transmission infrastructure to meet the growing energy demands of Georgia [1][2] Investment and Infrastructure - The company has announced major transmission projects in Coweta, Fayette, Fulton, and Heard counties, which include advanced high-voltage transmission lines, updated substations, and smart grid technologies [1][2] - The Ashley Park 500/230 kV substation and associated 230 kV lines are part of the ongoing investments, with completion expected in spring 2026 [2] - The new Ashley Park – Wansley 500 kV line will connect the Ashley Park Substation to Plant Wansley, with construction expected to begin in the third quarter of 2027 and completion anticipated in the second quarter of 2028 [2][5] Community Engagement - Georgia Power's transmission project process emphasizes flexibility, transparency, and community focus, with regular community meetings and updates to minimize disruption [4][5] Strategic Planning - The Georgia Public Service Commission approved the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan, which includes a 10-year transmission roadmap featuring over 1,000 miles of new transmission lines to enhance system efficiency and resiliency [5]

RT Custom Content from WSJ (@WSJCustom)Paid Program with @Google: The AI economy needs the electrical capacity to power it. Google’s Amanda Peterson Corio and Kim Greene from Georgia Power explain why public-private partnerships—and good “grid citizenship”—are key.https://t.co/zzSvCmx8sB https://t.co/KjsaZyiecg ...