Georgia Power has received approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to move forward with five new utility-scale solar power purchase agreements (PPAs). These facilities, totaling 1,068 megawatts (MW), will support the company’s Clean and Renewable Energy Subscription (CARES) 2023 program and benefit all customers. The projects will be developed and maintained by third-party companies that were selected through a competitive bidding process approved in the company’s 2022 Integrated Resource Plan.
The CARES program enables eligible commercial and industrial customers to purchase subscriptions for a share of renewable energy production, supporting their sustainability objectives. Interest in these subscriptions continues to grow as more customers pursue sustainability goals.
“Renewable RFPs, such as the CARES 2023 RFP, are designed to procure valuable renewable energy that helps to diversify Georgia Power’s generation mix and increase reliability. Our planning models project that these resources will deliver benefits to customers long-term,” said Wilson Mallard, director of renewable development for Georgia Power. “The five projects we selected are economical and we expect they will provide energy and capacity benefits to the system and the most value for all Georgia Power customers.”
The selected PPAs include:
– Mitchell County: A 25-year PPA for 260 MW of solar capacity.
– Coffee County: A 30-year PPA for 200 MW of solar capacity.
– Wilkinson County: A 20-year PPA for 183 MW of solar paired with a 91.5 MW battery storage system.
– Jefferson County: A 20-year PPA for 200 MW of solar capacity.
– Laurens County: A 20-year PPA for 225 MW of solar capacity.
Georgia Power is continuing its efforts to expand its renewable energy portfolio through additional resource procurement using competitive processes. This approach aims to maintain flexibility amid changing market conditions while providing more carbon-free energy options.
The CARES 2025 Request for Proposal has also been issued, targeting up to 2,000 MW of utility-scale solar—including any unfilled resources from the CARES 2023 round—with bids due in August. Selected projects could begin operations as early as 2028.
In July, Georgia Power’s updated Integrated Resource Plan was approved, setting out plans to acquire up to an additional 4,000 MW of renewable resources by 2035. An initial target seeks at least 1,100 MW through both utility-scale and distributed generation procurements. Further requests for proposals are expected in 2026 as part of efforts that could bring the company’s total renewable resource portfolio close to approximately 11,000 MW by the year 2035.
