Georgia Power, the US utility, announced this Friday it has gotten the approval for the first installment of its new energy portfolio, “build, own, operate.” This is an 80-megawatts portfolio that aims to increase the company’s use and adoption of renewable energy and sustainable solutions.
Firstly, the approval of Georgia Power came from the Georgia Public Service Commission (PCS). It was granted to the Mossy Branch Battery Facility, a 65MW / 260MWh asset that will be charged with electricity from the grid.
According to the statement, Georgia Power will build, own, and operate the asset; however, the utility appointed Wärtsilä as an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner to the project.
Moreover, this first installment of the new energy portfolio marks a true milestone for Georgia Power. The company proposed the 80 MW portfolio back in 2019, on its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).
In addition, the 2019 IRP from Georgia Power included a 72% increase in renewable energy generation by 2024. Such a percentage would be equivalent to adding around 2,260MW of new resources. The IRP also proposed the retirement of five coal-fired power plants in the southern US state.
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Georgia Power to grow its sustainability through Mossy Branch
Furthermore, the PSC unanimously approved the IRP, paving the way for the utility’s more recent submission of the Mossy Branch project proposal. In fact, the Mossy Branch will be the first standalone battery storage system on the Georgia Integrated Transmission System grid.
Additionally, the company’s statement reveals that the asset will be located on 2.5 acres of land in Georgia’s Talbot County. However, the company did not give a timeline for expected commissioning for the standalone Mossy Branch system.
On the other hand, it did say that the Mossy Branch project’s purpose is to enable real-time evaluation of the technical performance; economics of battery storage, and its use for delivering multiple applications to the electricity network.
Finally, the application for the battery system could include providing electricity to the grid when renewable generation dips; storing surplus energy at off-peak times, and discharging it during peak demand periods; kicking in to support the network if other generators go offline.
