Georgia’s Public Service Commission is weighing a plan that could determine how we power our future.
Georgia Power is asking to spend $15 billion to meet projected future energy needs fueled by the demands of data centers.
Opponents fear it could hurt both Georgia’s pocketbooks and environment.
“A few days ago, we received a note from Georgia Power,” Rachel Mask told the commission.
Infrastructure has a cost that goes beyond just dollars and cents. Mask said that soon her home will have a massive power line in the backyard, where she hoped to raise her daughters.
“They are going to build a 500kv power line through our backyard,” Mask said. “It’s going to be clear-cut, and it’s going to be replaced with the steel tower.”
But Georgia Power said more energy and infrastructure is needed. They claim they need to produce 9,900 megawatts to meet future demand, which is roughly equal to 10 Plant Vogtle’s nuclear reactors.
TRENDING STORIES:
Roughly 80% of the future demand is from data centers.
“Yet they want ratepayers to foot the $15-plus-billion bill for this expansion,” Mask said.
Georgia Power said it’s the data centers, not people, who would foot the bill.
“I would say it’s a lot of misinformation,” Jeremiah Haswell with Georgia Power said.
The utility company said rules will allow it to require data centers to pay for the energy, from production to transmission.
“They are paying for their full cost of generation, transmission and substations,” Haswell said.
But then there are concerns over how the power will be produced.
Georgia Power, in a news release, detailed where the energy would come from. It includes an increase in the use of natural gas.
The release states in part: “The company is currently adding new natural gas capacity at Plant McIntosh and Plant Yates, approved by the Georgia PSC in previous IRPs.”
“This week’s filings include the request to certify five new combined cycle (CC) units, totaling 3,692 MW, to be strategically located across the state to help ensure grid stability and reliability, and supporting the state’s economic growth in the coming years.”
The plan would also include increasing battery storage capacity along with more solar power.
The Public Service Commission will make its final decision on this in December.