First new natural gas turbine delivered to Georgia Power's Plant Yates
Rhea-AI Summary
Georgia Power (NYSE:SO) has received the first of three new state-of-the-art natural gas combustion turbines at Plant Yates in Coweta County, Georgia. The Mitsubishi Power M501JAC turbines, assembled in Savannah, will provide 1,300 megawatts of generation capacity when completed by 2027.
The expansion marks Georgia Power's first new natural gas project in over a decade, creating 600 construction jobs and 15 permanent positions. The advanced turbines feature 30-minute start-up times, oil backup capability, and future hydrogen-blend compatibility. This project is part of Georgia Power's broader strategy to meet growing energy demand, with natural gas currently providing 40% of its annual energy generation.
Positive
- Addition of 1,300 MW generation capacity to meet growing energy demand
- Creation of 600 construction jobs and 15 permanent positions
- Advanced turbine features including quick start-up and fuel flexibility
- Utilization of existing infrastructure and property for cost efficiency
- Future-ready design with hydrogen-blend compatibility
Negative
- Heavy reliance on natural gas (40% of generation) may pose future environmental regulatory risks
- Significant capital investment required for infrastructure expansion
- Project completion timeline extends to 2027
News Market Reaction – SO
In the Aug 15 session, SO declined 0.13%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Company's first new natural gas project in more than a decade will help meet growing energy demand;
New Advanced Class Heavy Duty Mitsubishi Power turbines assembled in
Plant Yates has long been an important source of generation for Georgia Power. As one of Georgia's oldest generation sites, beginning commercial operation in 1950, Plant Yates was the first Georgia Power plant built to support the post-World War II economic boom. In 2014, five of the seven coal-fired units were decommissioned, with the remaining two converted to natural gas generation. With the expansion of three new units, Plant Yates continues to support the energy needs of
Georgia Power continues to leverage strong relationships with industry partners and vendors to source the equipment and technology needed to meet the energy needs of a growing
"At Georgia Power, we know our customers depend on us for reliable and affordable energy that is available around the clock whenever they need it at their homes or businesses," said Rick Anderson, senior vice president and senior production officer for Georgia Power. "We continue to work with the Georgia PSC to enhance and expand our diverse generation mix to meet the needs of customers not only today, but decades into the future. The new natural gas units at Plant Yates will be a great addition to our fleet, using existing property and infrastructure to deliver the best overall value for customers and providing exciting new investment at a plant that has been an economic driver in
The three advanced class gas turbines at Plant Yates will provide higher output and greater efficiency than previous generations of simple cycle CT designs. The air-cooled Mitsubishi Power M501JAC Series design provides operational flexibility by eliminating the need for steam cooling, offering a shorter start-up time of approximately 30 minutes and a lower turn down rate. As a contingency in the unlikely event that natural gas is unavailable, the units have built-in flexibility to run on oil, with on-site oil storage capability to provide reliability and resiliency benefits to the electric system. With minor future modifications, the M501JAC is also capable of using a hydrogen mix as a fuel. Blending technology continues to advance as an option across the industry in the pursuit of reduced carbon emissions, and Georgia Power is leading the way in this innovative research, recently partnering with Mitsubishi Power for a
"The delivery of our M501JAC advanced-class gas turbines to Plant Yates marks an important step in supporting
Natural Gas Supports Energy Needs of a Growing Georgia
Natural gas currently provides 40 percent of Georgia Power's annual energy generation and has long been a bedrock fuel for the company. The company continues to work with the
Georgia Power is investing in other existing power plants to better serve
Natural gas is also a part of a recent all-source RFP certification filing with the PSC. The filing includes 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 support the state's economic growth in the coming years. The units are proposed to be placed at Plants Bowen, McIntosh and Wansley.
To learn more about how Georgia Power is meeting the needs of customers through a diverse, balanced energy portfolio, and the IRP process, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of
About Mitsubishi Power
Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc. (Mitsubishi Power) headquartered in
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this release is forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements concerning expected timing of completion of construction. Georgia Power cautions that there are certain factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of Georgia Power; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Georgia Power's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2025, and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: the ability to control schedule overruns during construction due to challenges which include, but are not limited to, changes in labor costs, availability, and productivity, challenges with the management of contractors or vendors, subcontractor performance, adverse weather conditions, shortages, delays, increased costs, or inconsistent quality of equipment, materials, and labor, contractor or supplier delay, the impacts of inflation and tariffs, delays due to judicial or regulatory action, nonperformance under construction, operating, or other agreements, operational readiness, including specialized operator training and required site safety programs, engineering or design problems or any remediation related thereto, design and other licensing-based compliance matters, challenges with start-up activities, including major equipment failure or system integration, and/or operational performance, challenges related to future pandemic health events, continued public and policymaker support for projects, environmental and geological conditions, delays or increased costs to interconnect facilities to transmission grids, and increased financing costs as a result of changes in interest rates or as a result of project delays; legal proceedings and regulatory approvals and actions related to construction projects; the ability to construct facilities in accordance with the requirements of permits and licenses and to integrate facilities into the Southern Company system upon completion of construction; and catastrophic events such as fires, earthquakes, explosions, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and other storms, droughts, pandemic health events, political unrest, wars or other similar occurrences. Georgia Power expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-new-natural-gas-turbine-delivered-to-georgia-powers-plant-yates-302531070.html
SOURCE Georgia Power