Plant Vogtle remains the cornerstone of Georgia's electricity supply, standing as the largest nuclear power plant in the United States with a capacity of 4,536 megawatts. Located near Waynesboro, it is the only nuclear plant in the country with four reactors after Units 3 and 4 entered service, and it continues to supply a large share of the state's carbon-free generation.
Georgia Power is moving to squeeze more output from its existing nuclear assets. The utility received approval to uprate Vogtle Units 1 and 2 for an additional 54 megawatts of carbon-free capacity, along with engineering work for potential uprates at the Hatch plant's two units. The company is also targeting 765 megawatts of new battery storage in 2026 to help balance the grid.
The moves come as Georgia Power advances a broad expansion to meet rising demand. In a December vote, the Georgia Public Service Commission approved a plan that would add close to 10,000 megawatts of new capacity over five years, including natural gas plants, battery storage, and solar. The expansion reflects fast-growing electricity needs across the state, driven in part by data center development and economic growth. Some parties have asked the commission to revisit elements of the decision as the buildout proceeds.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - https://www.ajc.com/business/2026/01/groups-urge-psc-to-reconsider-approval-of-georgia-powers-16b-expansion/