You’ve probably heard it called the "King of Coal." For decades, Georgia Power Plant Scherer has sat in Monroe County like a titan, its massive cooling towers looming over the tiny town of Juliette. It’s a place of extremes. It has been called the largest coal-fired plant in the Western Hemisphere and, simultaneously, one of the most significant carbon emitters on the planet.
But things are changing fast in 2026.
If you think Plant Scherer is just some aging relic waiting for a wrecking ball, you’re only half right. The reality is way more complicated—and a lot more interesting. Between the massive thirst of new data centers and the messy politics of the "coal ash" cleanup, Scherer is currently the center of a high-stakes tug-of-war over Georgia’s energy future.
The Survival of the Biggest
Wait, wasn't this place supposed to be closed by now?
In 2022, the plan was simple: retire the remaining units by 2028. Georgia Power was moving toward a "cleaner" grid, leaning into the massive expansion of Plant Vogtle’s nuclear units. Then, the world changed. Georgia's economy absolutely exploded. Tech giants started building data centers across the state at a pace no one predicted. These facilities don't just need power; they need it 24/7, without a flicker.
So, Georgia Power went back to the Public Service Commission (PSC).
In their latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), the utility basically said, "We need more time." As of early 2026, the retirement dates for the active units at Plant Scherer have been pushed back, potentially as far as 2035. They need the "dispatchable" power—the kind you can turn on and off regardless of whether the sun is shining.
Who Actually Owns This Giant?
It's a common misconception that Georgia Power owns the whole thing. Honestly, it’s more like a complicated real estate co-op.
- Georgia Power operates the site and owns a significant chunk.
- Oglethorpe Power holds a massive stake, representing dozens of Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) across the state.
- MEAG Power (Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia) owns a piece to power various cities.
- Dalton Utilities has a slice too.
Unit 4—the one that used to be co-owned by Florida-based JEA and Florida Power & Light—is already a ghost. It was retired at the end of 2021. Seeing one unit go while the others stay in "zombie mode" creates a weird energy on-site. You've got parts of the plant being decommissioned while the rest are running at full tilt to keep the lights on in Atlanta.
The Coal Ash Problem Won't Go Away
You can't talk about Georgia Power Plant Scherer without talking about what happens after the coal burns.
Coal ash is the nasty leftover stuff. It’s full of heavy metals like arsenic, boron, and cobalt. For forty years, this waste was piped into a massive, 550-acre unlined pond. The "unlined" part is the kicker. Without a liner, those toxins can seep into the groundwater.
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Juliette residents have been sounding the alarm for years. Many refuse to drink from their wells, relying on bottled water because they’re terrified of what’s in the ground.
The Cleanup Strategy (and the Controversy)
Georgia Power is currently in the middle of a multi-year "dewatering" process. Basically, they’re sucking the water out of the ash pond, treating it, and then capping the ash in place.
Environmental groups like the Environmental Integrity Project and Altamaha Riverkeeper aren't happy. They want the ash moved to a lined landfill, away from the water table. Georgia Power argues that their "cap-in-place" method is safe and scientifically sound. It’s a standoff that’s likely to end up in court for the next decade.
The "Fried Green Tomatoes" Connection
Here’s a fun fact most people miss: Juliette isn’t just a "power plant town." It’s also where they filmed Fried Green Tomatoes.
The Whistle Stop Cafe is a real place. You can go there right now and eat the eponymous dish. It’s a surreal experience to sit in a quaint, cinematic Southern town and look up to see the steam plumes from one of the world's largest coal plants just a few miles away. It’s a clash of two very different Georgias.
Why Scherer Still Matters in 2026
Even with the rise of solar and the completion of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, Scherer remains a linchpin for reliability.
- Grid Stability: When a winter storm hits and solar production drops, Scherer provides the "baseload" that keeps the grid from collapsing.
- Economic Impact: The plant is the largest taxpayer in Monroe County. If it shuts down tomorrow, the local school system and infrastructure budget would take a massive hit.
- The Gas Transition: There is ongoing talk about whether Scherer could eventually be converted to burn natural gas instead of coal. It’s a "middle ground" solution that would cut carbon emissions significantly without losing the power capacity.
Practical Steps for Georgia Residents
If you live in the area or are just a curious ratepayer, here is how this affects you:
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Check Your Well Water
If you live within a 5-mile radius of the plant, don't just guess. Get a professional, third-party lab to test for "CCR" (Coal Combustion Residuals) markers like boron and sulfate. Don't rely solely on the utility's data.
Monitor the PSC Dockets
The Georgia Public Service Commission decides how much you pay for this electricity. Follow the dockets related to the "2025/2026 Integrated Resource Plan." This is where the real decisions about retirement dates and cleanup costs—which often get passed to consumers—actually happen.
Visit Juliette
Go see the scale of the operation for yourself. Drive down Highway 87. It gives you a perspective on the sheer physical size of our energy needs that a chart or a graph never could.
Watch the "Dewatering" Reports
Georgia Power is required to post monthly water quality data during the ash pond closure. If you’re concerned about the Ocmulgee River, these reports are public record on their environmental compliance website.
The story of Georgia Power Plant Scherer isn't over. It’s just entering a very long, very expensive final act. Whether it's a bridge to a cleaner future or a lingering environmental burden depends entirely on who you ask and how the next few years of regulation play out.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
- Review the Georgia Power "Environmental Compliance" page specifically for the Plant Scherer Ash Pond (AP-1) closure plan.
- Sign up for alerts from the Monroe County Board of Commissioners regarding local tax base changes.
- Contact the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to request the latest groundwater monitoring results for the Juliette area.