Georgia Power, in collaboration with Mitsubishi Power, has completed a groundbreaking hydrogen blending trial on a natural gas turbine at Plant McDonough-Atkinson in Smyrna, Georgia. The project marks a global milestone as the first to validate a 50% hydrogen blend on an advanced-class gas turbine, resulting in approximately 22% lower CO₂ emissions compared to running on natural gas alone.
The trial was conducted using an M501GAC gas turbine, with testing carried out at both partial and full load conditions. Multiple blend levels—from 5% to 50% hydrogen—were tested over several weeks in May and June, culminating in the successful 50% blend demonstration, the largest of its kind worldwide.
The turbine used in the test had previously been upgraded from a steam-cooled to an air-cooled configuration in 2023, incorporating J-series combustion technology known for its high hydrogen co-firing capabilities. This upgrade brought additional benefits, including faster startup times, increased operational flexibility, and reduced maintenance costs—contributing to the success of the hydrogen blend trial.
As the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company, Georgia Power continues to invest in research and development aimed at delivering reliable and affordable energy while cutting carbon emissions. The company has already achieved a more than 60% reduction in carbon emissions since 2007. This latest test builds on an earlier 20% hydrogen blend trial conducted at the same facility in 2022.
Plant McDonough-Atkinson, located less than ten miles from downtown Atlanta, has been serving customers for over 80 years. Fully converted to natural gas in 2012, the plant now powers up to 1.7 million homes. It operates six high-performance M501G and M501GAC gas turbines, three steam turbines arranged in 2-on-1 combined-cycle configurations, and two additional combustion turbines that run on gas or oil.
“Natural gas continues to play a vital role in our energy mix, offering flexibility, baseload power, and fast response to demand,” said Rick Anderson, Senior Vice President and Senior Production Officer at Georgia Power. “Innovative testing like this ensures we can meet Georgia’s growing energy needs with a diverse, reliable portfolio while reducing emissions. I’m proud of our team and our partnership with Mitsubishi Power in safely executing this test.”
Mitsubishi Power handled the hydrogen blending process on a single M501GAC turbine, which delivers approximately 283 MW of output. The company provided end-to-end support for the project, including engineering, hardware, control systems, commissioning, and risk management. Hydrogen supply and logistics were managed in partnership with Certarus.
“We’re proud to have worked with Georgia Power on this landmark achievement,” said Mark Bissonnette, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Power Generation at Mitsubishi Power Americas. “Reaching a 50% hydrogen blend in an advanced-class gas turbine underscores the strength of our technology and our shared commitment to reducing emissions.”
Southern Company’s R&D division also supported the project as technical consultants, bringing expertise in low-carbon hydrogen technologies—including generation, infrastructure, and storage, as part of its broader research into clean energy solutions.
