Georgia Power’s Plant Branch to shut down Wednesday

The company is closing Plant Branch in Baldwin County. The power plant has been supplying energy to Middle Georgia for 50 years.

The massive plant sits in between Baldwin and Putnam counties. It opened in 1965 on Lake Sinclair and has hired more than 450 employees.

As of Wednesday at midnight, the company is turning off the power grids.

“The citizens around Plant Branch won’t see any decrease in their service we’ll be able to be there and meet their generating needs following the retirement of the plant,” says Georgia Power spokesman Brian Green.

Georgia Power relocated some of the plant employees to other locations within the company.

Green says the company decided to close plant branch in 2013 to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s compliance regulations.

Plant Branch Units 1, 3 and 4 totaled 1,266 mega watts by April 16, 2015. Unit 1 began operating in 1965. The last and final unit came online in 1969.

Georgia Power will rely on the entire generating fleet to provide economic and reliable electrical service to Baldwin County residents. That fleet includes nuclear, natural gas, coal, hydro, and a growing portfolio of solar, wind, and biomass energy.

According to Green, in 2013 Georgia Power paid more than $4.5 million in taxes to Putnam County.

“Following the retirement, the company will continue to pay property taxes associated wit the remaining property in the county and continue to remit sales taxes collected from customers to the county,” Green said. “In 2013 this portion of the total tax remitted to Putnam County was just over $1.5 million.”

Georgia Power will continue to manage Lake Sinclair and Lake Oconee. The recreation site at the plant will be operated by the company’s Land Department.

“Plans for demolition and future use of the properties including sale or lease are under review,” Green said.