Utility Georgia Power has begun construction on 765MW of new battery energy storage systems (BESS) across Georgia, US.
Energy-Storage.news reported in December 2024 that the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) voted unanimously to certify Georgia Power’s plans to build the BESS projects.
At that time, the projects had a combined capacity of 500MW.
With this most recent announcement, the capacity for the McGrau Ford BESS has been increased and is planned across two phases.
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The details of the Georgia Power BESS projects are included in the table below, with reported changes from the original announcement italicised:
| Name | Location | MW/MWh | Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company | Project type | Commercial operation date (COD) |
| Robins BESS | Warner Robins, Bibb County | 128MW/512MWh | Burns and McDonnell | Co-located with solar | Expected June 2026 |
| Moody BESS | Valdosta, Lowndes County | 49.5MW/198MWh | Crowder | Co-located with solar | Expected May 2026 |
| Hammond Bess | Rome, Floyd County | 57.5MW/230MWh | Crowder | Standalone | Expected November 2026 |
| McGrau Ford Phase I & II | Ball Ground, Cherokee County | 530MW/2,120MWh | Burns and McDonnell | Standalone | Expected September 2026, October 2026 |
The Robins BESS will be adjacent to the Robins Air Force Base, which will allow Georgia Power to use the pre-existing solar infrastructure instead of constructing new transmission generator step-up (GSU) project-level substations.
Like Robins, the Moody BESS will be adjacent to the Moody Air Force Base, also making use of pre-existing solar transmission infrastructure.
The Hammond BESS will use existing transmission infrastructure from the Hammond coal plant, which was retired in 2019.
Georgia Power said of the McGrau Ford projects that:
“Given the existing site work, land acquisition, and contracting for McGrau Ford Phase I BESS, Georgia Power will realise efficiencies in contracting and construction by using the same construction company and company-owned land.”
“In addition, the preliminary design for McGrau Ford Phase I BESS provides an opportunity for Georgia Power to cost effectively expand the project level substation and generation tie line rather than construct a new project level substation.”
In September 2024, Georgia Power secured a battery and equipment supply agreement (BESA) with Tesla for this BESS portfolio. The company has not clarified if the McGrau Ford Phase I BESS was included in the BESA.
Georgia Power says that it is continuing to work with the Georgia PSC to procure an additional 1,000MW of BESS and that a 13MW demonstration project is in development at Fort Stewart Army Installation.
