Plant Mitchell Biomass Conversion

Background
Southern Company and Georgia Power research and support cost-effective renewable energy projects to meet the growing needs of customers. Many small and large customers are purchasing renewable energy from utilities as well as from renewable-energy brokers.

Georgia Power customers also are purchasing renewable energy, and large customers have expressed interest in large-volume renewable-energy purchases. As a way to meet this growing demand, increase its renewable portfolio and reduce emissions, Georgia Power will convert coal-fueled Plant Mitchell to a 100 percent wood-biomass plant. Retrofit construction is expected to begin in April 2011, with the plant slated to begin operations in June 2012.

• Georgia is rich with forestry resources and has a plentiful supply of surplus woody biomass and wood fuel to support Plant Mitchell.
• Within a 100-mile radius of Plant Mitchell, there are 8 million acres of forest and timberlands, and 12 million tons/year of surplus supply wood fuel.
• At 96 megawatts, Plant Mitchell would be one of the largest biomass projects of its kind in the country.
• The wood fuel used in the plant would come from suppliers operating within an approximately 100-mile radius of Plant Mitchell.
• Most of the wood fuel that would be used in the plant is considered unusable by timber companies and therefore would not compete with their needed wood supply.
• Approximately 1 million tons of the 12 million ton wood fuel supply per year would be needed to operate the plant.
• Woody biomass-fueled electricity results in less sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions than coal-fueled electricity.
• Because the converted unit will be considered a "carbon-neutral" source (one that relies on a fuel source that absorbed CO2 from the atmosphere), the conversion will result in a net reduction in CO2 emissions.
• Woody biomass is a renewable form of energy.
• The biomass conversion would have lower fuel and operating costs when compared to continued operation using coal, thereby making the plant more cost-effective for ratepayers.
• Adding wood fuel to Georgia Power's fuel supply mix would improve the company's fuel diversity and lessen its dependence on fossil fuel sources.
• The project would bring wood fuel suppliers to the local community and create 50-75 new jobs in southwest Georgia.
• Georgia Power plans to seek procurement certification from the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) organization.