Washington EMC's Power Supply

Washington EMC's Power SupplyPrior to 1974, 39 of the 42 electric cooperatives in Georgia, including Washington EMC, purchased 80% of their wholesale power from Georgia Power Company, with the other 20% being supplied by federal hydroelectric generating facilities located in state. Georgia Power Company was unable to guarantee the future wholesale power requirements of the co-ops at a price they could afford to pay. Washington EMC and 38 other EMCs, in response, formed Oglethorpe Power Corporation, a generation and transmission cooperative, in 1974.

Oglethorpe Power Corporation (OPC) - Established in 1974 to provide electricity to 39 of the 42 EMCs in Georgia. Since the National Energy Act of 1992, OPC's directors have voted to restructure in order to allow Washington EMC and other member EMCs to purchase some power from other suppliers. In 1997 with the potential of electric deregulation in Georgia, OPC has divided into three specialized companies, OPC, Georgia System Operations Corporation (GSOC), and Georgia Transmission Corporation (GTC). OPC operates primarily as a power generating company. GSOC and GTC are subsidiaries of OPC. Oglethorpe Power Corporation is located in Tucker, Georgia.

Today, OPC, shares ownership of modern generating plants and the statewide network of high voltage transmission lines with Georgia Power Company, the City of Dalton and the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia. This ensures that current and future Washington EMC customers have reliable, economical sources of electric power.

OPC's primary mission is to provide the power necessary to meet the needs of the 39 co-op member systems. To be successful, the corporation makes use of a diverse portfolio of power resources, including fossil, nuclear, coal and hydro facilities, as well as long-term and short-term contracts.

OPC and the member systems, including Washington EMC, have a power mix that provides diversity, flexibility and long-term capacity. OPC supplies energy to the member systems from 3,335 megawatts (MW) of owned or leased generating capacity while member systems secure remaining requirements from a variety of other sources. Therefore, future costs have limited exposure to factors like fuel availability, prices, and changes in legislation.

OPC is the nation's largest generation and transmission cooperative in terms of assets, kilowatt-hour sales, and ultimate customers served. Through OPC, Washington EMC receives its electricity from eight generating facilities in Georgia:

1. Plant Alvin W. Vogtle is a two-unit, 2,320 MW nuclear facility located in Burke County near Waynesboro, Georgia. OPC has a 30 percent ownership in the plant, which is operated by Southern Nuclear Operating Company, a subsidiary of the Southern Company.
2. Rocky Mountain is a three-unit, 848 MW pumped storage hydroelectric plant located in Floyd County near Rome, Georgia. OPC has a 75 percent ownership in the plant (Georgia Power owns 25 percent), and also serves as plant operator.
3. Plant Hal B. Wansley is a two-unit, 1,779 MW, coal-fired generating facility located in Heard County near Carrollton, Georgia. OPC has 30 percent ownership in the plant, which is operated by Georgia Power Company.
4. Plant Robert W. Scherer is a four-unit, 3,520 MW coal-fired generating facility located in Monroe County near Forsyth, Georgia. OPC owns or leases 60 percent of Units 1 and 2 of the plant, which is operated by Georgia Power Company.
5. Plant Edwin I. Hatch is a two-unit, 1,720 MW nuclear facility located in Appling County near Baxley, Georgia. OPC has a 30 percent ownership in the plant, which is operated by Southern Nuclear Operating Company, a subsidiary of the Southern Company.
6. Smarr Energy Facility is a two-unit, 217 MW gas-fired combustion turbine facility located in Monroe County near Forsyth, Georgia. They run primarily during high demand periods, especially on hot summer days. Smarr EMC owns the facility, which is operated by OPC.
7. Sewell Creek Energy Facility is a four-unit, 492 MW gas-fired combustion turbine facility located in Polk County near Cedartown, Georgia. Smarr EMC owns the facility, which is operated by OPC.
8. Talbot Energy Facility OPC is constructing an approximately $280 million, natural gas-powered energy generating facility in southwest Talbot County, Georgia to help supply electricity to participating Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) across the state.

This six-unit facility designed to provide 618 MW of capacity became commercially operational in early June 2002. The Talbot facility will use clean-burning natural gas and the latest in generating technology to ensure clean, efficient operation and minimal impacts. Electricity from the facility will go into the statewide transmission grid to help meet the fast growing need for electricity by EMC customers throughout the state.