Georgia Power recently started construction on a new 260-megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system (BESS) in Jefferson County, Ga. just outside of the City of Wadley. The project, approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), is located beside the existing third-party owned Wadley solar facility and near existing transmission infrastructure. The new Wadley BESS is a company-owned asset that strengthens the grid and the area’s growing renewable energy resources.

Members of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, the Wadley City Council, and other community partners joined Georgia Power leaders to break ground on the project, underscoring the strong partnerships that will help bring this project to life. The event spotlighted not only the importance of the project but also the lasting economic impact and benefits it will bring to Jefferson County.

“On behalf of the Jefferson County community, we welcome this Georgia Power project,” said Mitchell McGraw, chairman of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners. “We’re so proud to have your investment in Jefferson County, and we hope for more in the future.”

Designed to quickly dispatch stored energy over a four-hour period, the 260 MW system will strengthen reliability and support the growing mix of renewable resources on Georgia’s electric system. At this battery and solar co-located facility, battery energy storage helps capture power generated by renewable resources to use during peak demand periods, such as on cold winter mornings. Battery energy storage helps capture renewable resources produced during periods when the demand for electricity is lower, to use when the demand is higher, such as on cold winter mornings. These projects help to address the state’s growing power needs identified in the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in a cost-effective and strategic manner.

"At Georgia Power, our collaboration with the Georgia PSC and other stakeholders is key to making necessary investments for a reliable and resilient power grid," said Kerry Bridges, region executive for Georgia Power. "With the construction of the 260 MW BESS in Jefferson County, we are able to better serve our customers today and support Georgia's growth. As we expand our energy mix to include more renewable sources, these batteries will play an invaluable role in helping ensure reliability and flexibility, particularly when renewable sources are not available."

The Wadley BESS project, constructed by Burns & McDonnell, is expected to be completed in 2027.

Georgia Power adding BESS statewide

Across the state, Georgia Power is nearing completion of four new BESS facilities totaling 765 MW in Bibb, Cherokee, Floyd, and Lowndes counties, projects previously approved in the 2023 IRP Update.

Building on this momentum, the Georgia PSC approved the construction of nine new BESS facilities strategically placed on seven sites throughout the state, adding nearly 3,000 MW of additional planned storage.  The sites were strategically selected based on deployment capabilities, including the opportunity to locate additional resources at existing company plant sites, existing company-owned land, and proximity to substations or current company facilities. New BESS facilities include locations at Plants Bowen, Hammond, McIntosh, Wansley and Yates and stand-alone locations in Hall and McDuffie counties.

To support the increasing demand for renewable energy, the company is also planning two new state-of-the-art solar systems paired with battery storage for a combined capacity of 350 MW. These projects are designed to maximize high solar irradiance, while minimizing land disturbance. New solar + BESS projects include locations in Laurens and Dougherty County.