The Trump administration's proposal to repeal greenhouse gas standards for power plants could significantly increase emissions in Georgia. Environmental groups, including the NRDC and the American Public Health Association, have sued to block the change, arguing it threatens public health and accelerates climate change. The rule currently gives coal plants a choice: install carbon capture or close by 2032, and limits new gas plants to 40% annual operation unless they also capture carbon. Georgia Power had already planned to retire some coal plants due to the rule's costs, but after Trump's re-election, the company delayed those retirements and is building new gas plants to meet rising demand from data centers. Without the EPA limits, those new gas turbines could run up to 85% of the year, producing an estimated 8.5 million tons of CO2 annually, more than double what the old rule would have allowed. The repeal is not final yet, but the utility's actions show how regulatory uncertainty shapes long-term investment decisions.
