Georgia Power Seeks Biomass Plan Approval

Georgia Power is drawing both positive and negative reviews of its proposal to add 80 MW of power generating capacity with three new biomass power plants. The company is seeking approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to build three plants in South Georgia that would generate about 80 megawatts of electricity by burning wood pellets and other forms of biomass.

The bulk of the 80 MW comes from a 30-year power-purchasing agreement (PPA) with Altamaha Green Energy LLC, which operates a mill in Wayne County. Two other 10-year PPAs with International Paper Co. would yield the rest of the biomass power from plants in Port Wentworth and Macon County.

Georgia Power officials are pitching the proposal as a way to create jobs in rural parts of the state and give the forestry industry an additional market for timber, and also as a way to maintain a diverse power production portfolio that includes energy supply sources including coal, natural gas, nuclear and solar. Environmental advocates have objected to the proposal claiming adverse public health effects, while other groups have noted biomass power production costs are among the highest of the various energy sources.