Oglethorpe Power's natural gas power plant in Murray County
The more than 500-million dollar purchase comes after the company cancelled plans to build biomass plants in Appling and Warren Counties.
But, company officials say the new plant is not a replacement. They still plan to go ahead with permits and environmental studies at the Warren County site.
Oglethorpe’s Greg Jones says they are waiting for the federal government to clarify rules on biomass.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding how biomass would be treated and whether we would be given credit for it being carbon-neutral, whether it would even be considered renewable.”
Jones says power from the Murray County gas plant will serve the state's 39 Electric Membership Cooperatives. The plant employs 30 people.
