Data centers keep nation's largest coal plant alive in Georgia town
Georgia Power reversed its plan to retire Plant Scherer in Juliette, citing rising electricity demand from manufacturing, electric transportation, solar production and data centers. Residents and environmental advocates remain concerned about coal ash contamination, groundwater use and the plant’s continued health and environmental impacts, while a 2020 lawsuit against Georgia Power was dismissed in 2024.
Plant Scherer, the large coal-fired power station near Juliette in Monroe County, was scheduled for retirement in 2028 under Georgia Power’s 2022 resource plan. In a 2025 filing with the Georgia Public Service Commission, however, the utility withdrew that retirement plan, saying rapid growth in electricity-intensive industries—including data centers—was putting additional strain on the power grid.
Residents and environmental advocates continue to question the plant’s impact. Families sued Georgia Power in 2020, alleging coal ash had contaminated groundwater and contributed to serious health problems, but Monroe County Superior Court dismissed the case in 2024. Georgia Power denied wrongdoing and said its monitoring data showed compliance with state and federal requirements. Altamaha Riverkeeper testing found coal-ash-related elements in some groundwater samples, prompting Monroe County to spend $20 million extending public water lines to residents, while advocates also warned that the plant’s continued operation and the data centers it supports could increase pressure on Georgia’s water resources.