Georgia Power awards power purchase agreements for three solar projects

Georgia Power said recently that it awarded power purchase agreements (PPA) for three new solar projects totaling 510 megawatts (MW) to be built in Central, South, and Southwest Georgia through the company’s Renewable Energy Development Initiative (REDI).

“Renewable energy, including solar developments of all sizes in all parts of the state, plays an important role in the diverse generation mix we use to serve customers,” Wilson Mallard, director of Renewable Development for Georgia Power, said. “As we continue to grow renewable resources in 2018 and beyond, we’re focused on ensuring that every project that comes online helps us keep energy reliable and affordable for our customers, today and in the future.”

First Solar, through its subsidiary Twiggs County Solar LLC, entered into a PPA with Georgia Power to construct a 200-MW solar installation on 2,000 acres of land in Twiggs County near Warner Robins. It is expected to be the largest stand-alone photovoltaic solar plant in the southeastern United States and be completed in 2019.

Invenergy Solar Development North America, through its subsidiary Camilla Solar Energy LLC, entered into a PPA with Georgia Power to build a 160-MW solar project in Camilla, near Albany.

NextEra Energy Resources, through its subsidiary Quitman Solar LLC, also entered into a PPA with Georgia Power and will build a 150-MW project in Quitman, near Valdosta.

These new projects were chosen from competing bids submitted to Georgia Power’s 2017 REDI Request for Proposal process.

Georgia Power’s 139-MW solar project at Robins Air Force Base is expected to break ground in 2018. The company is also working with the University System of Georgia on the development of two large-scale solar projects at Fort Valley State University and Georgia College and State University.

The company expects to add up to 1,600 MW of additional renewable energy by 2021 through the various renewable programs approved by the Georgia PSC through the end of 2017.