Who Owns Georgia Power?

Georgia Power's sustainability practices fall under Southern Company's environmental framework, which targets net-zero emissions by 2050.

• Nuclear Energy: Plant Vogtle, with all four units operational, is the largest nuclear generator in the United States. Nuclear power provides emission-free baseload generation. Georgia Power has proposed additional investment in Hatch and Vogtle Units 1 and 2 to deliver 112 MW of additional carbon-free energy.
• Carbon Emissions Reduction: Georgia Power has reduced overall carbon emissions by over 60% since 2007, primarily through shifting from coal to natural gas generation.
• Renewable Energy: The CARES (Clean And Renewable Energy Subscription) program allows commercial and industrial customers to purchase renewable energy subscriptions. Georgia Power has added five solar farms totaling 1,068 MW through this program.
• Grid Investment: Georgia Power has invested over $10 billion in grid strengthening over the past decade. The 2025 IRP proposes additional investments to support projected load growth of 8,200 MW over six years.
• Coal Plant Extensions: In its 2025 IRP, Georgia Power requested to extend coal-fired unit operations at Plants Bowen and Scherer through at least 2034, reversing previous retirement commitments. This decision was driven by data center demand growth.

Southern Company publishes annual sustainability reports covering Georgia Power's environmental performance. The company is subject to federal environmental regulations (EPA) and state regulations (Georgia Environmental Protection Division).

• J.D. Power Business Customer Satisfaction Award (2024): Georgia Power ranked first for business customer satisfaction among Large Utilities in the South in J.D. Power's 2024 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study. The study evaluates satisfaction across power quality and reliability, price, billing and payment, corporate citizenship, customer contact, and communications.
• Edison Electric Institute Emergency Response Award (2025): Georgia Power crews received the EEI Emergency Response Award for their response to Hurricane Helene in 2024. This national award recognizes exceptional storm restoration efforts.
• Economic Development Recognition: Georgia Power has been named a top utility for economic development by Site Selection magazine and other industry publications, recognizing the company's role in supporting business expansion and job creation in Georgia.

Georgia Power is a utility company and does not have product recalls. However, the company has faced significant controversies:

• Coal Plant Extension Controversy (2025): Georgia Power's 2025 IRP requested extending coal-fired unit operations at Plants Bowen and Scherer through at least 2034, reversing previous retirement commitments. Environmental groups including the Southern Environmental Law Center and Sierra Club criticized the decision. The Sierra Club gave Georgia Power's 2025 IRP a failing grade. The company cited data center demand growth as the reason for the extension.
• Data Center Impact on Energy Planning: Georgia's data center boom has forced Georgia Power to increase fossil fuel generation. Critics note that data center companies receive tax breaks while pollution from additional fossil fuel generation affects surrounding communities. The Georgia Recorder and Grist have published investigative reports on this dynamic.
• Vogtle Cost Overruns: Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 construction faced significant delays and cost overruns. The project's total cost exceeded $30 billion, more than double the original estimate. The Georgia PSC scrutinized cost recovery requests, and customer bills included charges for the project.
• Environmental Justice Concerns: Environmental groups have raised concerns about disproportionate pollution impacts from coal-fired plants on minority and low-income communities in Georgia. Georgia Power maintains that its facilities operate with advanced environmental controls.
• Rate Case Disputes: Georgia Power's rate cases before the Georgia PSC have been contentious, with consumer advocacy groups arguing that rate increases place undue burden on residential customers, particularly low-income households.