A third natural gas unit has started running at Georgia Power’s Plant McDonough-Atkinson in Smyrna.
The power plant once had two coal-burning units. Georgia Power shut down those units in Sept. 2011 and Feb. 2012 to comply with environmental rules.
The 840-megawatt natural gas unit is the last of three gas units built at Plant McDonough. The units will generate a total of 2,500 MW of electricity, enough energy to power approximately 625,000 homes.
Customers have been paying for the first two natural gas units as part of a three-tiered rate hike approved in 2010.
The third part of the rate increase will be in January 2013. That increase to be to pay for the third natural gas unit at Plant McDonough.
Georgia Power hasn’t determined how much that January rate hike will be. The utility must file that information with the state Public Service Commission 60 days before the increase is scheduled to show up on customer bills.
