Location: Georgia Power
Fleet Type: Utility Company Light-duty Vehicles
Narrative
Georgia Power is the most prominent utility in the state, supplying more than 2.6 million residents with power each year. Georgia Power has embraced sustainability both for its customers and throughout its operations, including through transportation.
As of 2023, Georgia Power has a fleet of over fifty light-duty electric vehicles. When including Georgia Power’s parent company, Southern Company, which also spans into Alabama, the number reaches over 100 electric vehicles (in both states combined). This fleet is primarily composed of Ford F-150 Lightning trucks. These electric trucks are used in a variety of ways for their everyday use, but mainly in support of the company’s Power Delivery (Transmission and Distribution) teams, providing power to its external customers. There is a key focus on electrification and retirement of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles that are at their life-cycle replacement timeframe. These actions also help Georgia Power towards its net-zero emissions and environmental goals, through its Implementation and Action Toward Net Zero Plan. Long-term goals include net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
At Georgia Power, the initial deployment and implementation to electrify the light-duty fleet focused on the following six key factors:
- Asset Procurement (Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and dealership relationships, EV pilot management, and EV requirements and specifications)
- Charging Infrastructure Procurement and Installation (EV Supply/Support Equipment (EVSE) selection and charger network planning at internal and/or residential facilities)
- Digital Enablement (Data analytics, telematics, and EVSE connectivity)
- Fleet Operations and Training (Mechanic initial and continuing EV maintenance training, tooling education, and EV maintenance requirements)
- Change Management (Common/standardized governance, Key Performance Indicators, and organizational design, i.e., recommendations on who should or should not electrify at this point in time, depending on job roles and functions)
- Financial Prudence (Define, maintain, monitor, and interweave the budget throughout the processes listed above, and stay educated on available grants, incentives, and rebates)
Outputs & Outcomes
Outputs: Georgia Power is a longstanding member of Clean Cities Georgia that has benefitted from the coalition’s network and collaboration in various events and workshops over the years. Georgia Power has also been present at EV car shows and many other electrification events to interface with the public and further encourage electric vehicles in the region.
Outcomes: Georgia Power created an electrification team dedicated to the vehicle and EVSE side of things. Because of their involvement in local events surrounding electrification, more customers are now interested in electric vehicles and charging stations and are more comfortable with moving forward with these decisions due to the added grid capacity Georgia Power has added and continues to add over the years.
Best Practices & Lessons Learned
- Create a plan and if it works, stick to it. If it works like the six-step process Georgia Power has implemented, continue with the plan and be sure not to cut corners while simultaneously maximizing time efficiency. However, if certain parts of the plan do not work as well as originally intended over time, such as some of the challenges mentioned above, it is important to adjust as needed. Flexibility when engaging in technological innovation is very important to success.
- Businesses that set sustainability targets are more likely to follow through with sustainability actions to meet said goals. Through working towards the Implementation and Action Toward Net Zero Plan, Georgia Power has clear benchmarks and milestones to meet to keep the business on track. This long-term planning is important for many reasons, such as employee motivation, staff turnover, and succession plans.
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