Georgia Power leaders joined state and local elected officials, as well as community leaders, recently to celebrate the completion of one of the company’s first battery energy storage systems (BESS) connected to solar. The Moody Battery Facility, located just outside of Valdosta, Ga., is capable of 49.5 megawatts (MW) of battery storage, which can be deployed back to the grid over four hours. This flexible energy storage system matches the output of the nearby Moody solar facility and adds resiliency to the state’s power grid.
Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman Jason Shaw and Lowndes County Manager Paige Dukes joined members of the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners, the Valdosta City Council, and other community partners, alongside Georgia Power leaders to cut the ribbon on the project, underscoring the strong partnerships that brought this project to life. The event spotlighted not only the importance of the project but also the lasting economic impact and benefits it will bring to Lowndes County.
“The successful completion of the Moody Battery Energy Storage System, ahead of schedule, is great news for our customers and for reliable energy in our state,” said Rick Anderson, senior vice president and senior production officer for Georgia Power. “This project not only enhances grid resiliency but highlights our commitment to adding cost-effective resources to our diverse generation mix through programs reviewed and approved with the Georgia PSC. We appreciate the hard work of Crowder Engineering, and the other companies involved in this project, as well as the community that has supported this new energy source in Lowndes County.”
At this battery and solar co-located facility, battery energy storage helps capture renewable resources produced during periods when the demand for electricity is lower and stores it for use when the demand is higher, such as on cold winter mornings. These projects help to address the state’s growing power needs approved by the Georgia PSC through the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) process in a cost-effective and strategic manner.
The Moody BESS facility was approved with three other BESS projects across the state, and Georgia Power is nearing completion of those projects – totaling 715 MW – Bibb, Cherokee, and Floyd counties, projects, which were previously approved in the 2023 IRP Update.
The Georgia PSC also approved the construction of nine additional BESS facilities strategically placed on eight sites throughout the state, adding more than 3,000 MW of additional planned storage. The sites were strategically selected based on deployment capabilities, including the opportunity to locate additional resources at existing company plant sites, existing company-owned land, and proximity to substations or current company facilities. New BESS facilities include locations at Plants Bowen, Hammond, McIntosh, Wansley and Yates as well as stand-alone locations in Hall and McDuffie counties.
To support the increasing demand for renewable energy, the company has also been approved for two new state-of-the-art solar systems paired with battery storage for a combined capacity of 350 MW. These projects are designed to maximize high solar irradiance while minimizing land disturbance. New solar + BESS projects include locations in Laurens and Dougherty counties.
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America’s premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company’s promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power offers rates below the national average, focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction.
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