Google Teams Up with Georgia Power on Nuclear Reactor Upgrades

Georgia Power has announced a deal with Google to upgrade two older nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle, near Augusta, and Plant Hatch, near Baxley. The upgrades will increase energy production from these facilities.

The agreement is part of Georgia Power's plan to update four nuclear reactors in the state. State regulators approved the Vogtle upgrades last year, but the specifics of how to pay for the work weren't hashed out at that time.

Georgia Power is now asking the Georgia Public Service Commission for permission to move ahead with the updates at Plant Hatch as well as approval to create a new subscription program so large customers like Google can pay for both upgrades.

The proposed program would allow large customers like Google to pay a subscription fee on top of their electricity bill to help cover the cost of the nuclear upgrades. In exchange, Google would get credit toward its clean energy target.

Google needs energy to power its data centers and has set a target of using only carbon-free energy by 2030. Since nuclear plants don't use fossil fuel, the power they generate qualifies as carbon-free.