Georgia Power revives Plant Wansley with natural gas and batteries
News ClipFOX 5 Atlanta·Carroll County, GA·4/30/2026
Georgia Power has broken ground on a project to convert the former Plant Wansley coal site into a natural gas and battery storage facility. This initiative aims to support current and future electricity demand, particularly from the growing data center industry in the state. While company officials highlight the plant's role in grid flexibility and fair data center contributions, an environmental group argues it will increase consumer costs.
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Gov: U.S. Department of Energy, Carroll County, Heard County
Georgia Power has commenced the transformation of its former Plant Wansley coal site in Carroll County, Georgia, into a natural gas and battery storage facility. The groundbreaking ceremony for the project, which will no longer use coal following its 2022 shutdown, was attended by commissioners from Carroll and Heard counties, and members of the Trump administration.
Georgia Power CEO Kim Greene stated that the new infrastructure, featuring two natural gas units and battery energy storage, is designed to meet increasing demand, specifically citing the expansion of data centers in the state. Greene emphasized that data centers are paying more than their cost to serve, which helps to offset potential rate increases for other customers. The plant is expected to provide 1.5 gigawatts of new electricity.
However, the Southern Environmental Law Center has voiced opposition, claiming the project will lead to higher electricity bills for residential and small commercial customers. James Danly, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, endorsed the project, aligning it with the Trump administration's energy policies. The project is anticipated to be completed by November 2029.