Georgia Power delayed coal retirements and plans to run new gas plants harder ahead of EPA rule repeal

Environmental and public health groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council and the American Public Health Association are suing to block the Trump administration's proposed repeal of greenhouse gas standards for power plants. The Biden-era rule required coal plants to install carbon capture or close by 2032 and limited how often new natural gas plants could run.

Georgia Power, the state's largest utility, had planned to retire its coal plants after determining that carbon capture was too expensive. After Trump's election, the company shifted course. More than a year ago it won approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission to delay retiring two coal plants — Plant Scherer, which emitted over 8 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2024, and Plant Gaston, which emitted over 2 million.

Maggie Shober of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy says the utility planned for the rule's repeal throughout. Without EPA restrictions, she estimates new gas turbines the company is building for rising data-center demand would run 85 percent of the year and produce 8.5 million tons of carbon dioxide annually — more than double the 4 million tons allowed under the current rule.

Southern Company, Georgia Power's parent, did not grant an interview. A spokesperson said the company supports "regulatory certainty" and made no mention of its net-zero-by-2050 goal.