Oglethorpe Power has selected Kiewit subsidiary The Industrial Co. as the EPC contractor for a new 1.4 GW combined cycle natural gas power plant in Monroe County, Ga., to meet growing electricity demand among the cooperative’s 38 members.
The project, referred to by Oglethorpe Power as the Monroe County Combined Cycle Facility and by industry sources as the Smarr Combined Cycle Plant, will be built on cooperatively owned property near Forsyth, adjacent to an existing gas unit. Oglethorpe Power says the site was chosen for its existing transmission access, water resources and available acreage. Total capital investment is estimated at $2 billion to $3 billion. The Industrial Company. the value of the contract was not disclosed.
“Oglethorpe Power is committed to providing reliable and affordable energy to the communities we serve, and this project is a critical part of fulfilling that mission,” the cooperative said in announcing the EPC award.
The plant will use advanced-class GE Vernova 7HA.03 gas turbines, which Oglethorpe Power says will be able to run on a blended hydrogen and natural gas fuel as the technology matures. The facility will also use air-cooled condensers instead of traditional cooling towers, an option the co-op says will significantly reduce water use at the site.
Under the EPC contract, the contractor will lead engineering, procurement and construction. Mobilization is expected to begin in the spring commercial operation planned for 2029. Oglethorpe Power has filed the required environmental applications, including air quality permits, and says the project will meet all state and federal regulatory requirements.
“We are proud to partner with Oglethorpe Power on this important project,” said John Jennings, president of IT and senior vice president of Kiewit. “Our team is committed to delivering a high-quality facility that will support Georgia’s growing energy needs for decades to come.”
The project also includes a 7.8-mile, 500-kV transmission line connecting the plant to the regional grid. Construction of the line is expected to begin in late 2027 and will likely require easements to adjacent properties, according to preliminary planning documents.
Local authorities have expressed their support for the investment. Monroe County Commissioner Eddie Rowland said the project “will bring good jobs and long-term economic value to Monroe County while strengthening the energy resources that serve our communities.”
Oglethorpe Power said the plant “will help ensure we have the dispatchable generation needed to maintain reliability as demand continues to increase.”
