A slower than expected economic recovery has forced Georgia Power to adjust its peak demand forecast for 2007. That adjustment lowers the need for new power generation, causing the company to terminate its new generation bid process for that time period.

Georgia Power had previously requested bids to purchase 600-800 megawatts of electricity for 2007 and received 27 bid proposals from 12 companies for more than 13,000 megawatts. The majority proposed operating combined-cycle natural gas units to generate electricity. Other companies proposed using combustion-turbine natural gas units, coal units, wind turbines and a co-generation project to generate electricity.

“While we received a number of interesting and competitive bids for 2007, we no longer have a need for that power based on our revamped forecast, which indicates a reduction in industrial usage,” said Larry White, director of Georgia Power’s Resource Policy and Planning department. “We have notified the bidders and the Public Service Commission of our decision to terminate the process.”

Georgia Power sent a letter of notification of the termination in mid-August to the Public Service Commission.