Georgia Power has received delivery of the first of three simple cycle Mitsubishi Power M501JAC gas fired turbines at Plant Yates near Atlanta, Georgia. Assembled at Mitsubishi Power’s Savannah facility, the turbine, which is 50 feet long and 18 feet wide. is the first new natural gas turbine to be added to Georgia Power’s fleet in a decade. When all units are in service, they will be rated at a total 1300 MW.
As one of Georgia’s oldest generation sites, beginning commercial operation in 1950, Plant Yates was the first Georgia Power plant built to support the post-World War II economic boom. In 2014, five of the seven coal-fired units were decommissioned, with the remaining two converted to natural gas generation.
The new units were approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) in the 2023 Integrated Resource Plan Update, and are expected to be online by the end of 2027 to meet new energy demand in the state.
The three advanced class gas turbines at Plant Yates are expected to provide higher output and greater efficiency than previous generations of simple cycle CT designs. The air-cooled Mitsubishi Power M501JAC Series design provides operational flexibility by eliminating the need for steam cooling, offering a shorter start-up time of approximately 30 minutes and a lower turn down rate. If natural gas becomes unavailable, the units have built-in capability to run on oil, and have on-site oil storage capability. With minor modifications, the M501JAC is also capable of using a hydrogen mix as a fuel.
