As Georgia continues to grow and the energy landscape rapidly evolves, we understand the important role we play in serving millions of Georgians and take our commitment to serving them seriously.
This requires us to maintain a diverse energy portfolio in order to provide reliable, safe, and affordable energy to our customers in any situation, today and in the future.
Our resource portfolio
Georgia is a booming state that relies on a diverse mix of resources to power its millions of homes and businesses. While natural gas is 40-50 percent of our generation capacity, the share of generation produced from carbon-free or carbon-neutral sources is growing steadily with the completion of Vogtle Units 3 & 4 and advances in renewable energy technology.
As we move further into the next generation of energy, we remain committed to providing our state with clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy both today and for generations to come.
2024 capacity mix:
- Oil – 3%
- Natural Gas – 41%
- Coal – 18%
- Nuclear – 14%
- Hydro – 5%
- Solar* – 12%
- Bio-Mass – 2%
- Wind – 1%
- DSO* – 4%
Disclaimer about our capacity mix, DSOs and RECs
Our capacity mix reflect nameplate capacity for renewable resources, program capacities for third-party Demand-Side Options (DSOs), and designated/demonstrated capacity for the remaining fuel types. A portion of the renewable generation capacity includes capacity where the renewable generator retains the related Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).
Our carbon-free capacity mix
Georgia is both a top five nuclear power producing state, and a top ten solar energy generating state. While we do rely on fossil fuels as a reliable source of energy, our capacity for renewable energy is expanding, and we anticipate that by 2030 more than half our power generation will come from renewable sources.
Our carbon-free capacity mix over time:
2007: 20%
2024: 38%
2028: 43%
2007:
20%
2024:
38%
2028:
43%
What's the difference between Renewable and Carbon-neutral?
Carbon-neutral / Renewables
Renewable energy comes from carbon-neutral, zero-emission sources that do not pollute the atmosphere when used, and are constantly being replenished.
- Solar
- Hydro
- Biomass
- Wind
Carbon-neutral / Non-renewable
While generating energy in a nuclear power plant is emission-free, the fuel used in a nuclear reactor is made from mined non-renewable uranium.
- Nuclear
Fossil fuels
These are energy-efficient non-renewable sources that, once used up, cannot be replaced and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when heated.
- Natural gas
- Oil
- Coal
Solar energy, battery solutions, and the importance of a diverse fuel mix for 24/7 power.
Georgia's landscape and annual hours of sunlight makes our state particularly suitable for solar energy generation compared to other areas of the country.
However, solar energy doesn't generate when the sun is down or can't reach the panels, and the power demand on the grid often peaks during the coldest months in the early morning as people across our state begin their days by using high-demand appliances like heat pumps, water heaters and even hair dryers.
It's because of situations like this, when energy is not yet being generated from our solar facilities, that we continue to invest in new technologies like advanced battery storage solutions, and maintain a portfolio of traditional fuel sources like natural gas or coal that can be called into service quickly under any conditions.
Forms of energy
Energy can never be created or destroyed, just transformed from one type to another.
Most electricity generation occurs in power plants that use a turbine to drive electricity generators. In a turbine generator, an outside force – water, steam, combustion gases, or air – pushes a series of blades mounted on a rotor shaft. The force on the blades spins or rotates the rotor shaft of a generator which in turn converts the mechanical (kinetic) energy of the rotor to electrical energy.
Turbine rotors from the Plant Vogtle Unit 3 construction, 2019.
Thermal Energy (Heat)
Heat is most often used in power generation to turn water into steam that then push the turbines.
Heat is generally generated through either nuclear fission - splitting of atoms in a nuclear reactor, or combustion - burning of natural gas, coal, oil or biomass.
- Used in: Nuclear
- Natural Gas
- Coal
- Biomass
- Oil
Gravitational Energy
Gravitational energy is the potential energy in an object when it's held in a high position compared to a lower position.
In a hydroelectric dam water is released from the higher position in a reservoir, and the gravitational force of the falling water push the turbines in the dam below.
- Used in: Hydro
Electrical Energy
Electrical energy is the movement of electrons.
In solar generation, sunlight photons stimulate electrons to break off from the atoms in the solar panel material, creating an electric current.
Similarly, during a thunderstorm, electrical energy builds up in a cloud until it's discharged in a spark as lightning.
- Used in: Solar
Motion Energy
Motion energy is the potential and kinetic energy in an object, such as wind or natural gas, when in movement.
The same pricinples for steam applies to wind when it hits a wind turbine, and the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy as it pushes the blades of the turbine.
- Used in: Wind
- Natural Gas