How Trump’s repeal of the greenhouse gas rule could double new emissions from Georgia
The Trump administration's proposal to repeal Biden-era greenhouse gas standards for power plants is being challenged in court by groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council and the American Public Health Association, who argue it threatens public health and worsens climate change. In Georgia, the rule had been prompting utilities to plan for retiring coal plants rather than pay for costly carbon capture.
Georgia Power, anticipating the rule's demise, got approval over a year ago to delay retiring units at Plant Scherer and Plant Gaston, which together emitted more than 10 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2024. Analysts estimate that without the EPA restrictions, new gas turbines the utility is building for data centers could run twice as often, more than doubling their annual emissions from about 4 million to 8.5 million tons.
Southern Company, Georgia Power's parent, declined an interview and instead sent a statement about wanting 'regulatory certainty' for 'reliable and affordable electricity,' without mentioning its own stated net-zero-by-2050 goal.
The full dispatch is available from the source below.