Georgia Power to close 15 coal, oil units
Georgia Power said Monday it will shut down 15 coal and oil-fired units, cutting nearly one-sixth of its power grid capacity to comply with federal rules aimed at reducing air pollution.
The move, which comes after the utility and parent Southern Co. spent years unsuccessfully fighting the regulations, further cuts coal out of the electricity mix of a company once known as the dominant provider of coal-fired electricity.
Currently, the amount of coal that Georgia Power uses to produce electricity stands at 47 percent, down from 70 percent five years ago.
Georgia Power will replace much of the lost capacity by the expansion of nuclear Plant Vogtle, which is already underway, and buying natural gas from a sister company, Southern Power. Customer bills will not be immediately affected, but Georgia Power could seek to recoup shutdown costs from ratepayers.
http://www.ajc.com/news/business/georgia-power-to-close-coal-oil-units/nTpSx/
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