MEAG Power, Participant & Public Power News

Spring 2025

MEAG Power Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary

The Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia was created on March 18, 1975 by an Act of the Georgia General Assembly. Its mission was – and is – to generate and transmit reliable, affordable wholesale electricity to municipalities that operated their own electric distribution system – the Participants.

MEAG Power was born out of the desire of the Power Section members of the Georgia Municipal Association, known as the Electric Cities, to better control their energy future at a time when load growth was outpacing available generation and they were dependent on a single private utility for supply of increasingly costly electricity.

The opportunity arose in 1974 for public power organizations in Georgia to acquire electricity directly from Plants Hatch and Vogtle, new nuclear projects that were in development. This required the creation of a legal Authority to function as an electric utility that could buy shares of ownership in the plants and supply the power to the members.

 

The original MEAG Board hold the $300 million bond check that enabled them to purchase their first generation assets.

Once created, 47 of the 51 qualifying Electric Cities signed long-term power sales agreements with the Authority, with the city of Oxford joining in 1986 and Acworth joining in 2002.

Today, MEAG Power is recognized as a leading joint action agency in the U.S., with a diverse, clean energy portfolio – delivering, on average, 65% emissions-free energy since 2016 – that compares favorably with both state and national averages. It has 2,300 MW of total capacity from nuclear, natural gas and coal resources, with its first solar initiative under construction, and manages 398 MW of hydro capacity on behalf of the Participants. MEAG Power also owns 1,300 miles of high voltage transmission, more than 210 substations, and is a co-owner of the Integrated Transmission System (ITS), a 17,800-mile transmission network covering 90% of Georgia.

Recently, both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly recognized and commended MEAG Power upon the occasion of the 50th anniversary, celebrating its enduring contributions to the Participant communities it serves and the State of Georgia as a whole.

MEAG Power Board members Bill Yearta, Tim Houston, Steve Tumlin, Greg Thompson and Eric Wilson join President & CEO Jim Fuller and SVP & COO Steve Jackson at the Georgia General Assembly.

Our success in fulfilling this mission is a testament to the dedication and hard work of MEAG Power’s Board members and employees throughout the years, and the trust and support of our Participants. We thank the Participants for their long-held partnerships, and we look forward to continuing to serve their needs for many years to come.

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Meetings & Events

  • Board Meetings

    May 15, June 19, July 16 (Annual Meeting), Aug. 21
    All meeting dates
  • Participant reception & breakfast in conjunction with GMA Annual Convention in Savannah

    June 21-22, 2025
    See details