History of Georgia Power in Timeline

Georgia Power is an electric utility company based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1902 as the Georgia Railway and Power Company, it initially operated streetcars in Atlanta. The company is a major provider of electricity in Georgia and plays a significant role in the state's energy infrastructure. It has a long history of providing power to homes and businesses throughout the region.

1902: Company Established

In 1902, the Georgia Railway and Power Company was established, marking the beginning of Georgia Power. It started operations by running streetcars in Atlanta, succeeding the Atlanta Consolidated Street Railway Company.

1902: Company Begins Operations

In 1902, the Georgia Railway and Power Company, formerly known as the Atlanta Consolidated Street Railway Company, started operating streetcars in Atlanta.

1937: Trolleybus Operations Begin

From 1937, Georgia Power began operating trolleybuses in Atlanta.

1950: End of Trolleybus Operations

In 1950, Georgia Power's network of 31 electric bus routes was the largest trolley bus system in the United States, subsequently, after the Atlanta transit strike of 1950, the Atlanta Transit Company took over operations.

2006: Plant Scherer Ranked Largest CO2 Emitter

According to Natural History Magazine, in 2006, the Robert W. Scherer Power Plant (Plant Scherer) was the largest single point-source for carbon dioxide emissions in the United States.

2006: Merger with Savannah Electric & Power Company

In 2006, Savannah Electric & Power Company, previously a separate subsidiary of Southern Company, was merged into Georgia Power.

November 2007: Plant Scherer Listed Among Top CO2 Producers

In November 2007, Plant Scherer was ranked 20th in the world for carbon dioxide emissions by the Center for Global Development, making it the only power plant in the United States among the world's top 25 CO2 producers.

2011: Proposal to Convert Plant Mitchell

In 2011, Georgia Power requested approval to convert the coal-fired Plant Mitchell to run on wood fuel.

2012: Planned Biomass Plant Operation

Georgia Power planned to begin operating a biomass plant at Plant Mitchell in mid-2012, contingent upon approval for converting the coal-fired plant to run on wood fuel.

2014: Plant Mitchell Decertified

In 2014, Georgia Power announced it was decertifying Plant Mitchell and intended to close its operations by April 2015.

April 2015: Intended Closure of Plant Mitchell

In April 2015, Georgia Power intended to close the operations of the Plant Mitchell.

2016: Plant Mitchell Shut Down

In 2016, Plant Mitchell was shut down.

August 2018: Credit Rating Downgrade

In August 2018, due to cost increases in building additional nuclear reactors at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant, Moody's downgraded Georgia Power's credit ratings from A3 (upper medium) to Baa1 (lower medium).

September 2018: Agreement to Cover Project Costs

In September 2018, Georgia Power agreed to cover a larger share of the costs for the smaller project partners if the completion costs for the Vogtle project exceeded $9.2 billion.

2019: CEO Testifies on Rate Increase Request

In 2019, Georgia Power's CEO, Paul Bowers, testified before state regulators seeking approval for a rate increase that would add about $200 a year to the average residential customer's bills.

June 2021: Rate Increase Request

In June 2021, Georgia Power requested a $235 million a year rate increase, representing a 10% overall increase, to recover capital construction and operating costs once Vogtle unit 3 starts operation.

August 2022: EPA Fine for Oil Spill Prevention Violations

In August 2022, the EPA fined Georgia Power $1,906 after an Atlanta facility failed an audit for oil spill prevention. Violations included the lack of a method to predict potential oil spills, no containment plan, and inadequate facility drainage.