Georgia Power’s first battery energy storage system launches, strengthening Georgia’s power grid

Georgia – In a major step toward improving the resilience of the state’s electricity grid, Georgia Power has formally opened the Mossy Branch Battery Facility, its first “grid-connected” battery energy storage system (BESS). Executives from Georgia Power, legislators from the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), authorities from Talbot and Muscogee counties, and other attendees opened the plant in a ceremony.

With 65 megawatts (MW), the Mossy Branch Battery Facility can discharge electricity back into the grid over four hours. This capacity plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the grid and guaranteeing a consistent power supply to meet Georgia’s increasing energy consumption.

Supported by the Georgia PSC included into the 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), the Mossy Branch project highlights a significant development in energy storage technologies. Running as a stand-alone facility, it directly pulls and stores electricity from the electric grid. With integrating and optimizing the utility of intermittent renewable energy sources like solar, such battery systems are essential for improving the reliability and resilience of the electric system.

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Storing extra energy generated during low-demand periods allows the facility to use it at peak demand, like cold winter mornings. This increases not only the general efficiency of the energy system but also the effectiveness of renewable energy.

Kim Greene, chairman, president, and CEO of Georgia Power, emphasized the project’s significance during the facility’s opening ceremony.

“We know our customers depend on us to make the investments in our state’s power grid needed to deliver reliable energy to their homes and businesses around the clock,” Greene said on Thursday.

“Battery energy storage is an example of a new technology that will make our grid more reliable and resilient every day, and especially during extreme weather events. The Mossy Branch facility is an incredibly valuable addition to our grid and commercial operation of this site is a significant milestone in our continued work with the Georgia PSC to evolve and enhance Georgia’s power grid,” Greene added.

Georgia Power worked with eminent industry leader Wärtsilä to build the Mossy Branch facility. Wärtsilä supplied comprehensive building, procurement, and engineering services. The facility makes use of Wärtsilä’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform for management and safe operations as well as their modular and small-sized Quantum energy storage system.

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Working together with the Georgia PSC, Georgia Power keeps growing its BESS projects. Under Mossy Branch, the 265 MW McGrau Ford Phase I BESS project in Cherokee County is under development; it is expected to start operations by the end of 2026. Approved in the IRP for 2022, this project is part of a bigger plan to use competitive bidding to integrate another 1,000 MW of battery storage across the entire state.

Furthermore, Georgia Power revealed in August intentions for 500 MW of additional BESS projects on the site of the former Plant Hammond and close to Robins and Moody Air Force Bases. These projects, a part of the company’s plan to own more such facilities, underline its determination to advance battery storage technologies.

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Interested parties are advised to visit the company’s Integrated Resource Plan website for further information on how Georgia Power is handling customer needs with a varied, balanced energy portfolio.

Apart from a significant advancement in energy storage and administration, the Mossy Branch project establishes a standard for next projects so ensuring Georgia stays at the forefront in energy innovation and dependability.