ATLANTA – Construction is underway on battery energy storage systems (BESS) at four locations across the state, Georgia Power officials announced Wednesday.
The state Public Service Commission voted late last year to certify the four projects, which will add 765 megawatts of electrical generating capacity to the Atlanta-based utility’s energy supply portfolio. One megawatt is enough electricity to power 750 homes.
“As we expand our diverse energy mix to include more renewable energy, which requires careful advance planning and flexibility to accommodate times when that source is not available, these batteries will be an invaluable part of the electric system,” said Rick Anderson, senior vice president and senior production officer for Georgia Power.
Two of the new BESS facilities will be built adjacent to both Robins Air Force Base in Houston County and Moody Air Force Base in Lowndes County. They will be co-located with existing solar facilities.
A third standalone BESS will be located at the retired coal-burning Plant Hammond in Floyd County. The fourth site will double the battery-storage capacity of the McGrau Ford Battery Facility being built in Cherokee County, with the first phase of that project having begun operations last fall.
The PSC approved battery storage in April of last year as part a huge increase in generating capacity for Georgia Power.
Under an agreement Georgia Power reached with the commission’s Public Interest Advocacy Staff, the utility must submit quarterly reports while the projects are under being built updating spending and the construction schedule.