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Georgia (US-GA)

Market Type: Regulated (Vertically Integrated)
SSS Relevance: ⭐⭐⭐ High
Grid Carbon Intensity: ~326 gCO₂/kWh

SSS Factors: significant nuclear capacity, hydroelectric resources, no mandatory RPS, regulated market structure

1. Overview​

Market Structure and Regulation The Georgian electricity market is transitioning from a regulated, state-dominated model to a liberalized, EU-aligned structure. The market is overseen by the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (GNERC), which regulates tariffs and market participants. In compliance with EU directives, distribution and supply activities have been unbundled into separate legal entities 1.

Generation Mix and Supply Georgia's power system is heavily reliant on hydropower (HPP), which accounts for 80-84% of total generation. Thermal power plants (TPP) provide the remaining 16-20% of supply, primarily utilized during winter months or when water levels are low. While wind and solar currently contribute less than 1% to the mix, the government aims to increase this through new investment schemes. By early 2026, total installed capacity is projected to reach approximately 4,675 MW 2.

Demand and Trade Domestic electricity consumption grew by 3.5% in 2025, reaching approximately 13.8 TWh. Despite high hydropower potential, Georgia operates as a seasonal net importer; in 2025, the country was a net importer in both volume (1.0 TWh) and value ($24.3 million) 1.

Investment and Future Outlook To support renewable energy development, the government has introduced a Contract for Difference (CfD) scheme and has conducted auctions for over 1,000 MW of new capacity. A major infrastructure project, the Black Sea Submarine Cable, is also underway to link Georgia and Azerbaijan directly to EU energy markets 3.

⚠️ Jurisdiction Note: The search results contain conflicting data regarding carbon intensity and renewable percentages. The statistics cited above refer specifically to the country of Georgia. If the SSS report is intended to cover the U.S. state of Georgia, the energy profile is vastly different (e.g., 12% renewables, heavy reliance on natural gas and nuclear) 4.

2. Market Structure​

Georgia utilizes a traditional vertically integrated utility model and does not participate in a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) or Independent System Operator (ISO) 5. Instead, the state's high-voltage grid is managed through the Integrated Transmission System (ITS), a joint ownership agreement involving Georgia Power, Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC), the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG Power), and Dalton Utilities 6.

The state's electric utility landscape is categorized into three primary types of providers:

  • Investor-Owned Utilities (IOU): Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, is the state's largest IOU, serving approximately 2.7 million customers in 155 counties. It is fully regulated by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) 7.
  • Electric Membership Cooperatives (EMCs): There are 41 not-for-profit EMCs serving roughly 4.4 to 5 million people across about 73% of the state's land area. The Georgia System Operations Corporation (GSOC) acts as the system operator for these cooperatives, while Oglethorpe Power Corporation provides wholesale power to 38 of them 8.
  • Municipal Utilities: 52 municipally owned systems operate in the state. Most (49 communities) are members of MEAG Power for generation and transmission services. These utilities are regulated locally by city councils rather than by the PSC 9.

Under the Georgia Territorial Electric Service Act of 1973, commercial or industrial customers with a connected load of 900 kW or greater have a one-time choice to select their electricity provider 9.

3. Clean Energy Policy​

Georgia does not have a statewide mandatory Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) or a voluntary renewable energy target, remaining one of 13 U.S. states without such a requirement [1]. Instead, clean energy development is primarily driven by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) through the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) process. The state's largest utility, Georgia Power, submits a long-term energy plan to the PSC every three years 10.

Utility and Climate Goals​

Georgia Power (parent company Southern Company) has committed to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with an interim target of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 (compared to 2007 levels), a goal the company claims may be achieved as early as 2025 [3]. Additionally, municipalities such as Atlanta and Athens have passed resolutions targeting 100% clean energy for city operations by 2035 [2].

Energy Mix and Mechanisms​

Despite the lack of an RPS, Georgia's renewable energy share reached 12.51% in 2024, driven largely by utility-scale solar expansion [1]. The state classifies new nuclear capacity as a major component of its clean energy transition; Georgia is the only state in recent years to complete new nuclear units, specifically Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 [2].

Key policy mechanisms include:

  • Georgia Cogeneration and Distributed Generation Act of 2001: Allows residential and commercial customers with small-scale renewable systems to connect to the grid and sell excess energy [1].
  • Net Metering: While not state-mandated, utilities like Georgia Power offer programs where customers receive bill credits for excess solar energy generated [1].

Demand Growth and Recent Revisions​

The state's energy strategy faces significant pressure from a projected demand increase of 8,000–10,000 MW over the next six years, driven largely by data centers [3]. To address this, the Georgia PSC approved a plan in February 2026 for nearly 9,900 MW of new capacity, with environmental groups noting a reliance on fossil fuels and delayed coal retirements [3].

4. Utility Landscape​

Georgia's electric utility market is characterized by a dominant investor-owned utility (IOU), a large network of member-owned cooperatives, and municipal systems.

Investor-Owned Utilities (IOU) Georgia is served primarily by one major IOU:

  • Georgia Power: The state's largest electric provider, serving over 2.7 million customers in 155 of Georgia's 159 counties. It is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company 9.
  • Historical Note: Savannah Electric and Power Company previously operated as a separate IOU but has since consolidated under the Southern Company umbrella 9.

Electric Membership Cooperatives (EMCs) There are 41 Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) in Georgia, which are private, not-for-profit entities owned by their consumers. They serve approximately 4.4 to 5 million residents across 73% of the state's land area and operate over 200,000 miles of power lines 1112.

  • Wholesale Power: 38 of the 41 EMCs receive wholesale electricity from Oglethorpe Power Corporation (OPC) and use Georgia Transmission Corporation for delivery 11.
  • Major Cooperatives: Notable EMCs include Jackson EMC (serving >260,000 customers), Cobb EMC (>211,000 meters), Sawnee EMC, GreyStone Power, and Walton EMC 1212.

Municipal Electric Utilities Georgia has 52 municipal utilities (51 cities and one county) that provide electricity as a public service 11.

  • Wholesale Power: 49 of these communities are members of the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG Power), a nonprofit generation and transmission organization 1113.

Regulation and Customer Choice

  • Oversight: The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) exercises full regulatory authority over Georgia Power but has limited authority over EMCs and municipal utilities 119.
  • Large Customer Choice: Under the Georgia Territorial Electric Service Act of 1973, large commercial or industrial customers with loads of 900 kW or greater have a one-time option to select their power provider, regardless of service territory 9.

5. SSS-Eligible Resources​

No specific SSS-eligible resources identified. See section notes.

⚠️ The specific eligibility status of these extended coal plants under SSS definitions requires verification, as they may be subject to environmental compliance limits.

6. EAC/REC Registry Infrastructure​

In the state of Georgia, there is no single state-run registry for tracking Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) or Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). Instead, the state relies on regional and national tracking systems 14.

Primary Registry The central database used for the issuance, tracking, and retirement of RECs in Georgia is the North American Renewables (NAR) Registry, which is managed by APX. Major utilities, including Georgia Power, utilize NAR to issue certificates for their solar programs 1415.

Alternative and Third-Party Systems

  • PJM-GATS: Although Georgia is not a member of the PJM grid, some solar facilities in the state register with PJM-GATS to sell certificates into markets that accept out-of-state RECs 14.
  • M-RETS: Generators may also register with the Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System (M-RETS), as it allows for registrations outside its primary geographic territory 15.
  • Green-e® Energy: This third-party certification program provides oversight for voluntary REC transactions to ensure certificates are not double-counted 14.

Process and Standards

  • Issuance: For every 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of renewable energy generated and delivered to the grid, a unique digital certificate is minted in the registry. Metadata includes fuel source (e.g., solar, wind), location, and vintage 15.
  • Retirement: To claim environmental benefits for Scope 2 emissions reporting, certificates must be retired or "cancelled" in the registry to prevent double-counting 15.
  • Emerging Trends: There is a shift toward Granular Certificates (GCs) for hourly tracking, allowing for better real-time matching of consumption with carbon-free energy production rather than annual matching 15.

⚠️ Note: The registry infrastructure described above applies to the U.S. state of Georgia. For the country of Georgia, the registry is managed by the Georgian State Electrosystem (GSE) using a system of "Guarantees of Origin" (GO) 14.

7. Grid Emissions​

Generation Mix​

Scope 2 Reporting​

  • SB 253 requires Scope 2 reporting for companies >$1B revenue

Source: EPA eGRID, EIA, state regulatory filings

References​

Sources & Last Updated​

Research Date: 2026-03-09
Data Sources: EIA, EPA eGRID, state regulatory filings, SerpAPI research aggregation

This page was generated using automated research and may contain inaccuracies. Verify critical data with primary sources.

Footnotes​

  1. IEA – International Energy Agency ↩ ↩2

  2. GNERC ↩

  3. International Trade Administration (.gov) ↩

  4. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) ↩

  5. Practical Law UK ↩

  6. Energy Star (.gov) ↩

  7. ejgreenbook.com +1, ejgreenbook.com ↩

  8. Georgia Electric Membership Corporation +1, Georgia Public Service Commission (.gov) ↩

  9. Georgia Public Service Commission (.gov) ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  10. 1, 2 ↩

  11. ejgreenbook.com ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  12. Georgia Electric Membership Corporation ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  13. Diverse Power ↩

  14. Search Result 1 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  15. Search Result 2 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5