Molly Ayala
From its early beginnings in the 1880s, the Georgia Power Company has grown to become the primary electric provider for the state of Georgia. As of 1996, Georgia Power served 1.7 million customers and provided electric service in all but ten of Georgia's 159 counties. The company has a complex history, encompassing five name changes and five different Georgia Power companies. Georgia Power is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and is the largest of the four electric utilities owned and operated by Southern Company, which is the second-largest utility company in the US in terms of customer base.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Georgia Power Company |
| Year of Origin | 1880s |
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Parent Company | Southern Company |
| No. of Customers (as of Dec 1996) | 1.7 million |
| Average Price (as of Dec 1996) | 6.15 cents per kilowatt-hour |
| Operating Revenue (as of Dec 31, 1996) | $4,415,615,956 |
| Total Assets (as of Dec 31, 1996) | $13,508,046,332 |
| No. of Employees | 9,000 |
| Date of Vogtle Unit 3 Operation | June 2021 |
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What You'll Learn
Georgia Power Company's history
The Georgia Power Company has a long and complex history, dating back to the late 1800s. In 1883, with Atlanta rapidly growing and a rising demand for electrical lighting, the citizens of Atlanta came together to support the formation of an electric company. The Georgia Electric Light Company of Atlanta was formed and, within a year, had built a 940-kilowatt generating plant and installed 22 electric streetlights.
Under the leadership of Henry Atkinson in the 1890s, Atlanta became known as one of the best-lit cities in the country, with thousands of lights. In the early years, electricity mainly provided street lighting and powered street railway transportation, with only a few businesses being electrically powered. Atkinson, along with Atlanta streetcar entrepreneur Joel Hurt, competed fiercely to gain control of the electric, streetcar, and steam-heat franchises issued by the city council. The dispute ended in 1902 when Atkinson bought out Hurt's interests and formed the Georgia Railway and Electric Company. Preston S. Arkwright, an Atlanta attorney, became president at that time and created the enduring motto for the company's employees: "A Citizen Wherever We Serve."
In the following years, the company continued to expand and evolve. By 1927, the officially renamed Georgia Power Company was serving over 62,000 customers. The company built several dams, including the Morgan Falls Dam, and constructed thousands of miles of transmission and distribution lines to power homes and businesses. In the 1930s, the company published a free newsletter called "Two Bells," which was distributed on its streetcars and trolleybuses. After the Atlanta transit strike of 1950, the company's focus shifted primarily to providing electric power throughout Georgia.
Today, Georgia Power is the largest of the four electric utilities owned and operated by the Southern Company, serving over 2.4 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. The company has faced criticism for its failure to invest in renewable energy options, but it remains committed to the transition to clean energy, with plans for new solar facilities and solar battery storage. Georgia Power continues to play a significant role in Georgia's economy and has celebrated over 140 years of powering the state.
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Georgia Power Company's subsidiaries
The Georgia Power Company has been serving Atlanta, Georgia since the 1880s and is now the primary electric provider for the state. It has a complex history, with five name changes and five different Georgia Power companies over the years.
The company has had a significant influence on the state's economic growth and development, not only as a major energy supplier but also as a large employer and taxpayer. It has also played a role in bringing industry and business to Georgia.
As of 1996, Georgia Power Company served 1.7 million customers and provided electric service in all but six of the state's 159 counties. The company has a number of subsidiaries, including:
- Savannah Electric and Power Company: Savannah Electric has been a part of the Southern Company since 1988 and serves customers in five counties in southeast Georgia: Chatham, Effingham, Bryan, Bulloch, and Screven County. As of December 1996, it served 120,448 customers with a total generating capacity of 840 megawatts, mostly from coal (74%) and combustion turbines (26%).
- Alabama Power Company: This subsidiary provides electric service in the state of Alabama.
- Gulf Power Company: Based in Florida, this subsidiary is responsible for providing electric power to customers in the state.
- Mississippi Power Company: Serving the state of Mississippi, this subsidiary falls under the Southern Company's geographic area of service.
These subsidiaries are part of the Southern Company's broader strategy to provide integrated and coordinated electric services in the southeastern United States. The Southern Company Services, Inc., operates the Southern electric system from its William R. Brownlee Power Control Center (PCC) in Birmingham, Alabama.
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Georgia Power Company's customer base
The Georgia Power Company has been serving the citizens of Atlanta, Georgia since the 1880s. It is headquartered in Atlanta and is the largest of the four electric utilities owned and operated by Southern Company. Georgia Power is an investor-owned, tax-paying public utility that serves more than 2.4 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. It employs approximately 9,000 workers throughout the state.
The company has had a significant influence on the state's economy and history. In the early years, electricity was mainly used for street lighting and railway transportation, with only a few businesses being electrically powered. Over the years, Georgia Power has grown and diversified, playing a role in the development of radio in Georgia, particularly in Atlanta, where it built the state's first radio broadcasting station in 1920. The company has also been involved in the operation of trolleybuses and streetcar services in Atlanta.
Georgia Power's customer base extends across the state, except for mostly rural counties. The company has a complex history, encompassing five different name changes and five different Georgia Power companies. It has faced criticism for its failure to invest in renewable energy options, but it has also initiated work on sustainable energy projects, including new solar facilities and solar battery storage.
The company's generating capacity includes hydroelectric dams, fossil-fueled generating plants, and nuclear power plants. Georgia Power owns and operates a total of 46 generating plants, with a total capacity of approximately 200 terawatt-hours of electricity. The company has a diverse portfolio of generation sources, including hydroelectric, gas, coal, and nuclear.
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Georgia Power Company's energy sources
The Georgia Power Company, Georgia's primary electric provider, has a long history in the state, dating back to the 1880s. Over the years, the company has played a significant role in the state's economic development, and as of 2023, it serves 2,754,203 customers across 155 of Georgia's 159 counties.
Georgia Power's energy sources have evolved over time, and the company maintains a diverse energy portfolio to ensure reliable, safe, and affordable energy for its customers. While natural gas accounts for 40-50% of their generation capacity, the company also relies on traditional fossil fuels and is committed to expanding its renewable energy sources.
Georgia is a top-five nuclear power-producing state, and nuclear power plants provide emission-free energy generation. However, the fuel used in nuclear reactors is made from mined non-renewable uranium. Recognizing the limitations of non-renewable sources, Georgia Power aims to increase its renewable energy capacity, with plans for new solar facilities and solar battery storage in the coming years.
The company has also invested in advanced battery storage solutions and maintains a mix of traditional fuel sources like natural gas and coal. This diverse portfolio ensures that Georgia Power can quickly respond to varying energy demands and conditions.
Looking to the future, Georgia Power is committed to providing clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy to Georgia. By 2030, the company anticipates that more than half of its power generation will come from renewable sources, and it continues to invest in new technologies to support this transition.
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Georgia Power Company's environmental impact
The Georgia Power Company, which has been serving the state since the 1880s, is committed to environmental stewardship. The company has been criticised for its failure to invest in renewable energy options, but it has also been praised for its dedication to protecting the environment through conservation, government compliance, sustainable practices, and environmental education.
Georgia Power has been working to improve water quality in the state, sponsoring and participating in river and lake cleanups, and partnering with organisations such as the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation and Rivers Alive. The company also recycles millions of pounds of cardboard, guide wire, paper, plastic, electronic waste, and wood from its facilities, as well as used motor oil and tires from its fleet department. In addition, Georgia Power owns and manages over 4,000 acres of natural and planted longleaf pine, with plans to re-establish an additional 2,000 acres in the coming years. This is important as many species of conservation concern rely on these landscapes to thrive, including the gopher tortoise, eastern indigo snake, red-cockaded woodpecker, and hairy rattleweed.
The company has also taken steps to close all of its ash ponds and currently recycles more than 85% of the coal ash produced from current operations. Georgia Power is also seeking opportunities to maximise the beneficial use of stored coal ash, which could help produce cement and concrete, reducing the need for raw materials.
Georgia Power is subject to federal and state environmental requirements, and its ash pond closure plans comply with the federal CCR rule and Georgia's more stringent state CCR rule. The company is committed to transparency throughout the ash pond closure and dewatering process, with plans that are discussed and evaluated through Georgia's open regulatory process.
Looking to the future, Georgia Power has released plans to create new solar facilities and solar battery storage in the coming years. The company's vision includes investing in clean, safe, reliable, and affordable energy for the future, with smart investments being made today to meet the needs of tomorrow.
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Frequently asked questions
Georgia Power Company, also known as Georgia Power, is the primary electric provider for the state of Georgia. The company has been serving Atlanta since the 1880s and is headquartered in the city.
Georgia Power is one of four electric utilities owned and operated by Southern Company. Southern Company is a utility holding company with five electric utility operating subsidiaries that provide electric service in four southeastern states.
Southern Company's three retail operating companies cover 120,000 square miles in three states: Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.
Southern Company subsidiaries operate hydroelectric, gas, coal, and nuclear generation sources. In 2009, coal represented 57% of the company's output, followed by nuclear (23%) and natural gas (16%).
Georgia Power is a significant economic influence in Georgia as a large employer, a major taxpayer, and a driving force in attracting industry and business to the state.
