Georgia Power is tendering for 500 MW of energy storage project capacity with the aim of bringing the sites online before 2032. The energy storage can be standalone or with a new or existing renewables resource. Ascend Analytics is administering the request for proposal (RFP) on behalf of Georgia Power.
This builds upon Georgia Power’s current plans to add more than 1.5 GW of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the coming years, according to Georgia Power. The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) approved the RFP as a part of the company’s 2022 integrated resource plan (IRP).
IRPs are long-term planning reports that are considered and approved by state regulators in many states, with some notable exceptions such as in Texas and its unique grid.
In July, Georgia Power requested certification from the PSC for 9.9 GW of new generation resources, 3 GW of which were for energy storage.
Over the next five to six years, the utility projects approximately 8.2 GW of electrical load growth, up more than 2.2 GW overall when compared to projections in its 2023 IRP update.
Also notable is that Georgia Power is looking at longer duration energy storage, with 3 GW per year of four-hour energy storage projected to be added, starting in 2028, while 3 GW per year of 12-hour energy storage is planned from 2033.
In its IRP, Georgia Power detailed adding storage to solar projects, saying that its adoption of solar-plus-storage, versus solar-only generation at sites, is currently at 17%.
Georgia Power first examined energy storage in its 2019 IRP, with approval to build, own, and operate 80 MW of BESS at the time. Georgia Power had 65 MW of battery capacity as of Dec. 31, 2024.
According to Georgia Power, 8% of its energy mix was renewables as of 2024, and more than half was gas and oil (40%) plus coal (16%). Georgia Power reports only the null energy output from some renewable generating facilities. Ownership of the associated renewable energy credits (RECs) is specified in each respective power purchase agreement or program tariff. The party that owns the RECs retains the right to use and report them.
Georgia Power has about 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. The average price residential customers paid during 2024 was $0.1548 per kilowatt-hour, and the average annual use per residential customer was 11,871 kWh. The utility’s total gross investment in facilities at the end of 2024 was $59.3 billion.
Those who are interested in submitting a proposal must do so through the Ascend Analytics Power Procurement platform, as Georgia Power said it will not accept submissions or answer inquiries by phone, email, or postal mail.
ess-news.com
