Georgia Power begins construction on new 31 MW on-base solar facility

Groundbreaking at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany marks company's fifth solar project with U.S. military

News provided by

Georgia Power

Apr 28, 2016, 01:22 ET

ATLANTA, April 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leadership from Georgia Power and the Department of the Navy (DON) today joined elected officials, community leaders and other dignitaries at Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany to mark the start of construction for a new 31 megawatt (MW) alternating current (AC) (44 MW direct current) solar generation facility. The MCLB Albany project is the fifth large-scale solar project to be built, owned and operated by Georgia Power on Georgia military bases for a total of 166 MW AC.

Georgia Power, the Department of the Navy, Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB Albany) and the Georgia Public Service Commission break ground on a new solar facility at MCLB Albany on April 28, 2016.
Georgia Power's Kenny Coleman speaks about the importance of solar generation and the new project at MCLB Albany to the company and customers.
Georgia Power, the Department of the Navy, Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB Albany) and the Georgia Public Service Commission break ground on a new solar facility at MCLB Albany on April 28, 2016. Georgia Power's Kenny Coleman speaks about the importance of solar generation and the new project at MCLB Albany to the company and customers.

"This project will generate solar energy as part of a diverse generation mix, while providing security for the base and a positive economic impact in the local community," said Kenny Coleman, senior vice president of marketing for Georgia Power. "The projects we are developing on our state's military bases are great examples of renewable energy growth being driven by collaboration and innovative partnerships."

Spanning 150 acres on the MCLB Albany base, the facility will utilize approximately 138,000 ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) panels to deliver energy to the state's electric grid.  The site is expected to come online within a year and to be brought online at or below the company's avoided cost, the amount projected it would cost the company to generate comparable energy from other sources. The solar project at MCLB Albany is estimated to represent a $75 million investment at the installation and will enable the DON to meet critical energy and security goals.

"This project, our second collaboration with Georgia Power, will help to enhance the energy security of MCLB Albany," said the Honorable Dennis V. McGinn, assistant secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations & Environment. "It is these partnerships that have yielded such high value for the Department of the Navy, our installations and the surrounding communities. As we begin to tighten our focus on energy resiliency, these projects will be the foundation of energy security on our bases."

Lauren "Bubba" McDonald, Jr., vice-chair of the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), also delivered remarks at the event noting the PSC's efforts to bring the solar projects to Georgia and encourage solar development in the state while keeping electric rates low for customers. Other speakers at the event included Lt. Gen. Michael G. Dana, deputy commandant of the Marine Corps, Installations and Logistics and Col. James C. Carroll III, commanding officer, MCLB Albany.

Georgia Power continues to add solar to its generation portfolio through programs designed to prevent upward pressure on customer rates.  In coordination with the Georgia PSC, thousands of new solar panels are being installed across Georgia as part of the MCLB Albany and Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay projects with the DON; at Forts Gordon, Stewart and Benning with the U.S. Army; and through the competitive Advanced Solar Initiative (ASI) Prime program. Most recently, Georgia Power proposed 525 MW of new renewable generation by 2019 as part of its 2016 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and new demonstration projects to further study wind and solar generation opportunities in the state.

A leader in renewable development, Georgia Power was recently named to the Smart Electric Power Alliance's (SEPA) annual Top 10 Utility Solar list in recognition of solar connections to the state's electric grid in 2015 and was previously named the 2014 Investor-Owned Utility of the Year by the organization.  To learn more about Georgia Power's solar programs, including resources available for residential and business customers considering solar energy, visit www.georgiapower.com/solar.

About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), one of the nation's largest generators of electricity.  Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.5 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, 21st century coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind.   Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower) and Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower).

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 
Certain information contained in this release is forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements concerning the development, completion of construction and cost of the MCLB Albany solar project. Georgia Power Company cautions that there are certain factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of Georgia Power Company; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Georgia Power Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: the ability to control costs and avoid cost overruns during the development and construction of generating facilities, to construct facilities in accordance with the requirements of permits and licenses, to satisfy any operational and environmental performance standards, and the requirements of tax credits and other incentives, and to integrate facilities into the Southern Company system upon completion of construction; and potential business strategies, including acquisitions or dispositions of assets or businesses, which cannot be assured to be completed or beneficial to Georgia Power Company. Georgia Power Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information.

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SOURCE Georgia Power

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