Georgia Power and Mitsubishi Power have announced the delivery of the first of three new simple cycle gas combustion turbines to Plant Yates in Coweta County, Georgia. The turbine, built at Mitsubishi Power’s Savannah Machinery Works, was transported by rail and truck. Each turbine weighs about 350 tons and measures 50 feet long by 18 feet wide. These units are the first new natural gas turbines to be added to Georgia Power’s fleet in ten years and will provide a total of 1,300 megawatts of generation capacity once all are operational.
Plant Yates began commercial operations in 1950 and was originally built to support economic growth after World War II. In recent years, five coal-fired units were decommissioned while two were converted to natural gas. The addition of these new turbines is expected to create around 600 construction jobs and add 15 permanent positions when complete, increasing the plant’s workforce to about 75 full-time employees.
The new turbines use Mitsubishi Power M501JAC technology, which allows for higher output and improved efficiency compared with earlier designs. The air-cooled system removes the need for steam cooling, enabling a start-up time of approximately 30 minutes and a lower turn down rate. The units can also run on oil if natural gas is unavailable due to built-in flexibility and on-site storage capabilities. With minor modifications, they could use hydrogen as part of future efforts to reduce carbon emissions; Georgia Power recently partnered with Mitsubishi Power for a hydrogen-blending project at Plant McDonough-Atkinson.
Rick Anderson, senior vice president and senior production officer for Georgia Power, said: “At Georgia Power, we know our customers depend on us for reliable and affordable energy that is available around the clock whenever they need it at their homes or businesses. We continue to work with the Georgia PSC to enhance and expand our diverse generation mix to meet the needs of customers not only today, but decades into the future. The new natural gas units at Plant Yates will be a great addition to our fleet, using existing property and infrastructure to deliver the best overall value for customers and providing exciting new investment at a plant that has been an economic driver in Coweta County for decades.”
Cheryl Boddiford, senior vice president of North American Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management at Mitsubishi Power stated: “The delivery of our M501JAC advanced-class gas turbines to Plant Yates marks an important step in supporting Georgia’s growing demand for reliable, efficient energy generation. Assembled at our Savannah Machinery Works facility, these units not only reflect our long-standing partnership with Georgia Power, but also symbolize Mitsubishi Power’s commitment to U.S.-based manufacturing and skilled workforce development. We’re proud to help deliver the flexible, high-performance turbine technology that will keep Georgia powered now and in the years ahead.”
The three new turbines were approved by state regulators as part of Georgia Power’s most recent Integrated Resource Plan update in 2023. They are expected online by late 2027 as demand for electricity rises statewide.
Currently about forty percent of Georgia Power’s annual energy generation comes from natural gas sources. To address projected increases in demand from population growth across Georgia (https://www.georgiapower.com/company/news-center/2024-articles/georgia-power-files-update-to-integrated-resource-plan.html), upgrades have also been approved for all combustion turbines at Plant McIntosh near Savannah under the company’s upcoming Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). This expansion is expected to add another 268 megawatts from existing infrastructure.
Additionally, an all-source request-for-proposals certification filing includes plans for five combined cycle units totaling nearly 3,700 megawatts across Plants Bowen, McIntosh and Wansley—part of ongoing efforts aimed at grid stability (https://www.georgiapower.com/company/news-center/2024-articles/georgia-power-files-update-to-integrated-resource-plan.html).
For more information on how Georgia Power manages its energy portfolio or participates in state planning processes such as IRPs visit www.GeorgiaPower.com.
