Oglethorpe Power: Electricity Demand Hits New All-Time Peak for Georgia Cooperative Energy System

Today Oglethorpe Power, Georgia Transmission and Georgia System Operations announced that a new all-time peak electricity demand was reached between 8 and 9 a.m. EST on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022. This preliminary new record peak of 11,034 megawatts (MW) is almost 8% higher than the previous record of 10,241 MW, set on June 15, 2022.¹ Together Oglethorpe Power, Georgia Transmission and Georgia System Operations provide wholesale energy generation, transmission and system operations to 38 consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution cooperatives across Georgia. These cooperatives serve electricity to approximately 4.4 million Georgians in 151 of 159 counties.

The historic electricity demand occurred during extreme winter weather conditions across Georgia, with temperatures plunging to a single digit across much of the state. Oglethorpe Power, Georgia Transmission and Georgia System Operations maintained reliability and had sufficient generation to meet the new all-time peak electricity demand for the 38 electric cooperatives they serve.

Prior to 2022, the all-time peak for Georgia’s cooperative energy system was set in 2019 at 9,701 MW.

Oglethorpe Power President & Chief Executive Officer Michael L. Smith attributed the companies’ ability to reliably meet the record electricity demand to a diverse portfolio, preparation and teamwork.

“Fuel diversity is critical to reliability in extreme weather,” said Smith. “In these conditions we needed every resource: fossil fuels, hydro, nuclear and solar. Our operations and fuels teams took proactive steps to prepare for the extremely cold temperatures and our crews worked around the clock to quickly repair generation units that tripped due to the weather.”

Georgia Transmission President & Chief Executive Officer Barbara Hampton said crews were stationed throughout the state to make immediate repairs of high-voltage transmission equipment damaged by the frigid temperatures and extreme wind.

“We are dedicated to serving our members and their communities through flexible and responsive service,” Hampton said. “That commitment, along with ingenuity and determination, was on full display as our operations and maintenance associates worked tirelessly in the unprecedented weather conditions to help keep the lights and heat on for homes and businesses across Georgia during the holidays.”

“Georgia System Operations played a pivotal role in ensuring our Member Systems’ members were never without power during the recent arctic blast,” said company President & Chief Executive Officer Greg Ford. “This was due to the hard work of employees and close collaboration among the three organizations that are charged with ensuring uninterrupted power flow.”

Oglethorpe Power is one of the nation’s largest power supply cooperatives with more than $16 billion in assets serving 38 Electric Membership Corporations which, collectively, provide electricity to approximately 4.4 million Georgia residents. A proponent of conscientious energy development and use, Oglethorpe Power balances reliable and affordable energy with environmental responsibility and has an outstanding record of regulatory compliance. Its diverse energy portfolio includes natural gas, nuclear, hydroelectric and coal generating plants with a combined capacity of more than 8,300 megawatts. Oglethorpe Power was established in 1974 and is owned by its 38 Member Systems. Its headquarters are in Tucker, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb. For more information, visit www.opc.com.

Georgia Transmission Corporation, a not-for-profit cooperative owned by 38 Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs), owns more than 3,500 miles of high-voltage transmission lines and more than 760 substations. These facilities deliver power to Georgia’s EMCs, providing electricity to more than 4.4 million Georgians. For more information, visit www.gatransmission.com.

Georgia System Operations Corporation is a not-for-profit corporation owned by 38 Georgia electric membership corporations, Oglethorpe Power Corporation, and Georgia Transmission Corporation. GSOC delivers safe, reliable, and economic power by controlling and monitoring electric generation, transmission, and distribution assets owned by OPC, GTC, Smarr EMC, the Members, and their power supply partners. Operating within the Southeastern reliability subregion of the SERC Reliability Corporation, GSOC complies with all applicable North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) reliability standards. GSOC also manages the critical infrastructure protection (CIP) program for GTC and itself.

¹ The peak load figures cited here are measured based on the generation required to serve the demand in the Georgia System Operations Control Area and include energy to cover losses during transmission. Oglethorpe Power’s SEC filings reflect peak load at the meter point, or sales to members, which is net of transmission losses, and include approximately 14 MW of member load in Florida. Oglethorpe Power’s SEC filings will reflect corresponding peak loads of approximately 10,811 MW on Dec. 24, 2022 and 10,017 MW on June 15, 2022.

SOURCE Oglethorpe Power Corporation