Georgia Power Receives First New Gas Turbine in Decade for Plant Yates Expansion

Georgia Power has received delivery of the first of three new state-of-the-art simple cycle gas combustion turbines at Plant Yates. The turbine, assembled at Mitsubishi Power's Savannah Machinery Works facility, is the first new natural gas turbine to be added to Georgia Power's fleet in a decade. When all units are in service, they will provide 1,300 MW of generation capacity for customers. The new units will help meet growing energy demand.

Georgia Power, the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company, has received the first of three new state-of-the-art simple cycle gas combustion turbines at Plant Yates in Coweta County, Georgia. The delivery marks a significant milestone in the company's efforts to meet growing energy demands and diversify its generation mix.

Assembled at Mitsubishi Power's Savannah Machinery Works facility, the turbine was transported to the site using both rail and truck. The new units, featuring Mitsubishi Power M501JAC combustion turbines (CTs), are the first new natural gas turbines to be added to Georgia Power's fleet in over a decade. When fully operational, the three units will provide a total of 1,300 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity for customers.

The new turbines are part of Georgia Power's ongoing expansion of Plant Yates, which began commercial operation in 1950. In 2014, five of the seven coal-fired units were decommissioned, with the remaining two converted to natural gas generation. The addition of the new units will help meet the increasing energy needs of Georgia and provide approximately 600 jobs during the construction process, adding 15 permanent new jobs once completed.

The new units were approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) in the 2023 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) Update and are expected to be online by the end of 2027. The M501JAC series design offers operational flexibility, eliminating the need for steam cooling and providing a shorter start-up time of approximately 30 minutes. The units also have built-in flexibility to run on oil in case of natural gas unavailability and can be modified to use a hydrogen mix in the future.

Georgia Power continues to leverage its strong relationships with industry partners and vendors to source the necessary equipment and technology to meet the energy needs of a growing Georgia. The company is also investing in other existing power plants, such as Plant McIntosh near Savannah, to better serve the state. The 2025 IRP includes combined cycle and simple cycle upgrades on all combustion turbines at Plant McIntosh, adding an additional 268 megawatts of capacity.

Natural gas currently provides 40 percent of Georgia Power's annual energy generation and will continue to play a crucial role in meeting the state's growing energy demands. The company's recent all-source RFP certification filing with the PSC includes the request to certify five new combined cycle (CC) units, totaling 3,692 MW, to be strategically located across the state.

Georgia Power's commitment to delivering clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy is evident in its diverse generation mix, which includes nuclear, coal, natural gas, and renewables such as solar, hydroelectric, and wind. The company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction.

References:
[1] https://www.marketscreener.com/news/first-new-natural-gas-turbine-delivered-to-georgia-power-s-plant-yates-ce7c51dede89f623