Georgia Data Center Seeks First-of-its-Kind Permit for On-Site Gas-Fired Power
December 22, 2025
The explosive growth of data centers, particularly those supporting energy-intensive artificial intelligence workloads, is straining power grids and prompting developers to seek unconventional solutions to bring capacity online faster. In Georgia, a novel proposal aims to bypass traditional utility delays but is raising significant environmental concerns.
VoltaGrid, a Houston-based energy solutions firm, has applied to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) for an air permit to install 33 natural gas-fired reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE units) at a data center site in Covington, approximately 35 miles east of Atlanta. This facility, with a maximum power output of 90 megawatts—enough to power tens of thousands of homes—is designed to provide continuous "baseload" power, not just backup, to a neighboring data center under construction by international developer Serverfarm. According to Georgia EPD spokesperson Sara Lips, this would be the first facility in the state permitted to use a large fleet of RICE generators as a primary power source, with potential installation beginning as soon as March 2026.
The application highlights the industry's push for speed. VoltaGrid states the installation will "fulfill an immediate need for alternative, rapidly deployable prime power." While the company markets its engines as "bridge" or permanent solutions, neither VoltaGrid nor Serverfarm clarified whether this is a long-term plan or a stopgap until grid power is secured. Georgia Power declined to comment on its potential role, citing customer confidentiality.
However, the plan's environmental impact is contentious. VoltaGrid bills its technology as "environmentally friendly," but experts challenge that claim. Joe Bozeman III, an assistant professor at Georgia Tech, acknowledged it is cleaner than coal but stated plainly, "I would not categorize this as a clean energy source." The engines will emit carbon dioxide and, through supply chain leaks, methane. Their emissions will also include PM 2.5 ultrafine particles, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds, which contribute to ozone formation—a particular concern for the Atlanta region, where areas are at risk of failing federal air standards. Environmental groups warn of local air quality degradation, noting residences lie roughly 2,500 feet from the site.
The proposal reflects a broader "bring your own generation" (BYOG) trend as data centers confront power constraints. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has suggested similar on-site generation could help alleviate grid demand, though critics note such policies have largely favored fossil fuels. Professor Bozeman suggested that if done responsibly, on-site generation could shield residential ratepayers from bearing data centers' energy costs, but he posed a critical question: "Is it worth the extra greenhouse gas emissions and some of the other unseen impacts?"
The Georgia EPD is now reviewing the application amidst the state's data center boom. Lips emphasized, "The division will only proceed toward drafting and issuing a permit if we believe the facility can meet all applicable requirements and air quality standards."
Source: timesfreepress
