Georgia emissions could rise after EPA rule repeal
The EPA is moving to repeal a Biden-era rule that set carbon emission standards for power plants, a change expected to increase greenhouse gas emissions in Georgia. This rollback would allow Georgia Power to run natural gas turbines, being built due to rising data center demand, at higher capacities without carbon capture. Environmental groups are challenging the repeal through a lawsuit, arguing it threatens public health and exacerbates climate change.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving to repeal a Biden-era rule that mandates carbon emission standards for existing coal and new natural gas power plants, a decision environmental and public health groups warn will increase greenhouse gas emissions in Georgia. The original rule, which required carbon capture technology or closure by 2032 for coal plants and limited operation or carbon capture for new gas plants, led Georgia Power, the state's largest utility, to initially plan for coal plant retirements.
However, following the change in administration, Georgia Power received approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission in 2025 to delay the retirement of units at Plant Scherer near Macon and Plant Gaston in Alabama, operated by its sister company, Alabama Power. Concurrently, the utility is expanding its natural gas generation capacity to meet rising electricity demand, partly driven by the proliferation of data centers.
Maggie Shober of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy estimates that without the EPA restrictions, emissions from these new gas turbines could more than double, from four million to 8.5 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, if operated at full capacity. Plant Bowen in Bartow County and Plant Scherer are already among the top 25 carbon-emitting power plants nationally.
A lawsuit challenging the EPA's proposed repeal has been filed by groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council and American Public Health Association, asserting that clean air is a fundamental human right threatened by power plant pollution. The EPA's rule change is not yet final, with a public comment period and court proceedings still to occur.