What Happened to Georgia Power?
Georgia Power is the largest electric utility in Georgia, serving over 2.8 million customers across 155 counties. A subsidiary of Southern Company, it recently completed the Vogtle nuclear expansion project and is currently navigating significant demand growth from data centers, leading to major infrastructure investments and ongoing rate adjustments for customers.
Quick Answer
Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, recently completed the multi-billion dollar Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 nuclear expansion, which began commercial operation in 2023 and 2024, respectively, significantly increasing its clean energy capacity. As of June 2026, the company is implementing a rate decrease for residential customers, while simultaneously planning substantial new generation capacity to meet surging electricity demand, largely driven by the influx of data centers into the state. This growth has led to both increased profits for its parent company and ongoing regulatory discussions regarding cost allocation and future energy mix.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline16 events
Georgia Electric Light Company of Atlanta Formed
The company, a predecessor to Georgia Power, was established to provide electricity, initially for street lighting, in Atlanta.
Georgia Railway and Electric Company (GR&EC) Formed
Henry M. Atkinson consolidated various electric, streetcar, and steam-heat businesses in Atlanta, forming the GR&EC, with Preston S. Arkwright as its first president.
Acquired by Southeastern Power and Light Company
GR&EC was acquired by Southeastern Power and Light Company, a holding company that later became the Southern Company, Georgia Power's current parent.
Plant Hatch Unit 1 Begins Commercial Operation
Georgia Power brought its first nuclear facility, Plant Hatch Unit 1, online near Baxley, Georgia.
Plant Vogtle Unit 1 Begins Commercial Operation
The first unit of the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, a nuclear power plant near Waynesboro, Georgia, began commercial operation.
Plant Vogtle Unit 2 Begins Commercial Operation
Plant Vogtle's second nuclear unit officially entered commercial operation.
PSC Certifies Plant Vogtle Units 3 & 4 Construction
The Georgia Public Service Commission approved the construction of two new nuclear units, Vogtle 3 and 4, marking the first new nuclear construction in the U.S. in over three decades.
Westinghouse Files for Bankruptcy; Georgia Power Takes Over Vogtle Construction
Due to mounting cost overruns and delays, original contractor Westinghouse filed for bankruptcy, leading Georgia Power and its partners to assume direct control of the Vogtle 3 & 4 project.
Plant Vogtle Unit 3 Begins Commercial Operation
After years of delays and cost overruns, Plant Vogtle Unit 3 officially entered commercial operation, becoming the first new nuclear reactor in the United States in seven years.
Plant Vogtle Unit 4 Begins Commercial Operation
The final new nuclear unit at Plant Vogtle, Unit 4, began commercial operation, completing the $36.8 billion expansion project.
Hurricane Helene Causes $800 Million in Damage
The historic Hurricane Helene caused nearly $800 million in damage to Georgia Power's infrastructure, impacting thousands of poles, miles of lines, and transformers.
PSC Approves Three-Year Base Rate Freeze
The Georgia Public Service Commission approved a plan to freeze Georgia Power's base rates for three years, with exceptions for fuel and storm cost recovery filings.
PSC Approves $16 Billion Generation Expansion Plan
The PSC unanimously approved Georgia Power's plan to add nearly 9,885 MW of new generation capacity, primarily to meet demand from data centers and other large industrial customers.
Largest Distributed Generation Solar Procurement Awarded
Georgia Power awarded final contracts for over 110 megawatts of new third-party solar distributed generation, the largest such procurement in company history.
RFP Filed for 2,000-6,000 MW New Capacity by 2032-2033
Georgia Power filed a request with the PSC to approve an All-Source Capacity Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure 2,000 to 6,000 megawatts of new dispatchable capacity resources for 2032-2033.
PSC Approves Rate Decrease for Residential Customers
The Georgia Public Service Commission approved a plan to lower overall rates, resulting in annual savings of approximately $50 (about $4.04/month) for the typical residential customer starting in June 2026.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Georgia Power Company, established in 1902 as the Georgia Railway and Power Company, has evolved from a streetcar operator to the state's leading electric utility, serving the majority of Georgia's counties. It became part of the Southeastern Power and Light Company in 1926, which later transformed into Southern Company, its current parent corporation. Throughout its history, Georgia Power has been a major economic force, providing electricity, creating jobs, and attracting industry to the state.
A significant turning point for Georgia Power in recent decades has been the construction of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, the first new nuclear reactors built in the United United States in over 30 years. Certified by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) in 2009, the project faced numerous delays and massive cost overruns, with total project costs eventually surpassing $36.8 billion, more than double initial estimates. Westinghouse Electric Co., the original contractor, filed for bankruptcy in 2017, leading Georgia Power and its partners to take over construction. Unit 3 began commercial operation in July 2023, followed by Unit 4 in April 2024, adding 2,234 MW of carbon-free generation capacity.
The consequences of the Vogtle expansion included significant rate increases for customers, estimated at approximately $10-15 per month for typical residential bills to recover costs over decades. However, the completion positioned Georgia as a leader in nuclear energy, providing long-term, carbon-free baseload generation. More recently, Georgia Power has been grappling with unprecedented electricity demand growth, primarily from a surge of energy-intensive data centers moving into the state.
In response to this demand, the Georgia PSC approved a $16 billion construction plan in December 2025 to add nearly 9,885 MW of new generation capacity, largely natural gas-fired units, battery storage, and battery-plus-renewables. In April 2026, Georgia Power filed a request to procure an additional 2,000 to 6,000 MW of dispatchable capacity by 2032-2033, including thermal generation, energy storage, and battery storage plus renewables. The company also awarded its largest distributed generation solar procurement in March 2026, adding over 110 MW of new third-party solar.
As of June 22, 2026, Georgia Power customers are seeing a rate decrease of approximately $50 per year (about $4.04 per month) for typical residential customers, effective June 2026. This reduction stems from a settlement in fuel and storm cost recovery cases, including costs from Hurricane Helene in 2024, which caused $800 million in damage. While the PSC approved a base rate freeze through at least 2028 in July 2025, the influx of large-load customers is expected to help spread fixed costs and is projected to lead to additional annual savings of $102 per year for residential customers starting in 2029. Southern Company, Georgia Power's parent, reported increased profits in Q1 2026, largely driven by a 42% rise in data center electricity sales compared to Q1 2025, with Georgia Power being its most profitable subsidiary.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Georgia Power made different choices?