Image credit: Georgia Power

Georgia Power recently started construction on a 260 megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system (BESS) in Jefferson County, just outside the City of Wadley. The project, approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), is located beside the existing third-party owned Wadley solar facility and near existing transmission infrastructure.

The company-owned Wadley BESS is designed to “quickly dispatch stored energy over a four-hour period” and will “strengthen reliability and support the growing mix of renewable resources on Georgia’s electric system.” At this co-located battery and solar facility, “battery energy storage helps capture power generated by renewable resources to use during peak demand periods, such as on cold winter mornings.”

Mitchell McGraw, chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, said: “On behalf of the Jefferson County community, we welcome this Georgia Power project. We’re so proud to have your investment in Jefferson County, and we hope for more in the future.”

Kerry Bridges, region executive for Georgia Power, added: “At Georgia Power, our collaboration with the Georgia PSC and other stakeholders is key to making necessary investments for a reliable and resilient power grid. With the construction of the 260 MW BESS in Jefferson County, we are able to better serve our customers today and support Georgia's growth. As we expand our energy mix to include more renewable sources, these batteries will play an invaluable role in helping ensure reliability and flexibility, particularly when renewable sources are not available.”

The Wadley BESS project, constructed by Burns & McDonnell, is expected to be completed in 2027 and aims to address the state’s growing power needs identified in the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).

Source: georgiapower.com