Georgia Power and Mitsubishi Power complete world’s first 50% hydrogen blend on advanced gas turbine

Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), and Mitsubishi Power have completed a historic hydrogen blending trial at Plant McDonough-Atkinson in Smyrna, Georgia, achieving a 50% hydrogen blend on a commercial-scale, advanced-class gas turbine. Conducted throughout May and June 2025, this test marks the largest hydrogen co-firing demonstration of its kind globally and the first to validate a 50% hydrogen-to-natural gas blend on an M501GAC turbine at both partial and full load conditions.

The successful blend reduced carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by approximately 22% compared to 100% natural gas combustion, furthering Georgia Power’s broader strategy to decarbonize its thermal fleet while maintaining grid reliability. The achievement follows an earlier 20% hydrogen blend trial completed at the same site in 2022 and underscores Southern Company’s long-term commitment to integrating low-carbon fuels into its natural gas infrastructure.

The demonstration at Plant McDonough-Atkinson highlights the increasing viability of hydrogen as a transitional clean fuel, capable of leveraging existing infrastructure and technology while significantly reducing emissions.

Why was Georgia Power’s 50% hydrogen blending test at Plant McDonough-Atkinson globally significant?

The 50% hydrogen blend achieved on an advanced-class M501GAC gas turbine is considered a technical and environmental milestone for the global power sector. Located less than 10 miles from downtown Atlanta, the McDonough-Atkinson facility serves as a cornerstone of Georgia Power’s natural gas generation capacity. Since its full conversion from coal to natural gas in 2012, the site has expanded to power up to 1.7 million homes, operating six M501G/GAC turbines and three steam turbines in a 2-on-1 combined-cycle configuration.

The specific turbine tested was converted in 2024 from a steam-cooled to air-cooled system, enabling integration of Mitsubishi Power’s J-series combustion technology—known for high hydrogen co-firing capability. The conversion also delivered improved startup times, enhanced turndown ratios, and reduced maintenance costs. These attributes created an ideal environment for hydrogen blending under commercial conditions.

Testing progressed from lower hydrogen concentrations (5%, 20%) to a full 50% blend, completed over several weeks under varying load scenarios. By confirming reliable performance and emissions reductions at this scale, the trial provides global validation for next-generation hydrogen combustion technologies.

How does this test align with Georgia Power’s emissions reduction targets and infrastructure investment plan?

The electric utility developer has reduced its carbon emissions by more than 60% since 2007. This achievement is part of a larger decarbonization roadmap that integrates investments in renewables, battery storage, nuclear, and cleaner-burning gas technologies. As part of its long-term Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), Georgia Power continues to modernize its generation assets to serve a growing population while minimizing emissions.

In the 2023 IRP Update, Georgia Power received regulatory approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission to develop three hydrogen-ready, simple-cycle gas turbines at Plant Yates in Coweta County. These units, like the ones at McDonough-Atkinson, are based on Mitsubishi Power’s combustion technology and are expected to operate with hydrogen blends from the outset.

Additionally, Georgia Power has proposed upgrades to 10 natural gas turbines at Plant McIntosh as part of its 2025 IRP. The improvements aim to add 268 megawatts of capacity and optimize fuel flexibility. These enhancements, combined with solar and battery additions, illustrate a systemic approach to balancing reliability and sustainability within Georgia’s energy mix.

Rick Anderson, senior vice president and senior production officer for Georgia Power, emphasized that natural gas remains a cornerstone of the generation portfolio, offering rapid response and baseload stability. He added that innovative testing like the hydrogen blend at McDonough-Atkinson reinforces the company’s commitment to providing reliable, affordable, and increasingly cleaner energy to customers across the state.

How is Mitsubishi Power enabling the transition to hydrogen-ready gas turbines across North America?

Mitsubishi Power played a central role in executing the hydrogen blend trial by delivering full turnkey service for one M501GAC unit. This included engineering design, blending hardware, control systems, risk management, and on-site commissioning. The project was completed in collaboration with Certarus, which supplied and managed the hydrogen logistics.

Mark Bissonnette, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Power Generation at Mitsubishi Power Americas, described the project as a “significant milestone” in the deployment of hydrogen-compatible turbine systems. He noted that the 50% blend not only demonstrated performance viability but also reinforced the company’s broader hydrogen commercialization roadmap.

Mitsubishi Power’s strategy centers around enabling incremental hydrogen adoption across existing turbine fleets. The company has been active in several U.S.-based hydrogen readiness initiatives and is expected to continue rolling out hydrogen-capable turbines, especially as hydrogen production and delivery infrastructure becomes more mature through federal and private sector investment.

This test also benefits from technical oversight by Southern Company’s R&D division, which is involved in multiple research streams including hydrogen production, delivery, infrastructure, and storage—making it one of the most comprehensive hydrogen programs within the U.S. utility sector.

What does the hydrogen trial signal to institutional investors and utility stakeholders?

Southern Company (NYSE: SO), which owns Georgia Power, has increasingly positioned itself as a leader in U.S. decarbonization efforts through practical, scalable initiatives like hydrogen blending. The company has publicly committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and the hydrogen trial is viewed as an operational step in that direction.

Institutional sentiment remains broadly positive on Southern Company’s hybrid strategy of grid reliability and clean energy transition. Analysts covering Southern Company have highlighted the hydrogen milestone as a sign of near-term executable progress, rather than long-range ambition.

The inclusion of hydrogen-ready gas assets in Georgia Power’s IRPs has also been viewed favorably by regulators and ratepayer advocates, given the state’s growing demand for electricity and the need to prevent reliability gaps during coal retirements and nuclear buildouts.

Furthermore, energy analysts suggest that Georgia’s relatively favorable policy environment, combined with a growing population and strong industrial demand, makes it an ideal proving ground for grid-integrated hydrogen use cases.

How does this hydrogen blending success shape the future of low-carbon gas generation in the southeastern U.S.?

The successful demonstration of a 50% hydrogen blend sets a new benchmark for Southeastern utilities, many of which rely heavily on natural gas for base and intermediate load. Georgia Power’s ability to integrate hydrogen blending into an existing combined-cycle gas facility without disrupting operations or reliability provides a model for other utilities seeking to decarbonize cost-effectively.

While hydrogen infrastructure—especially green hydrogen—is still nascent, industry experts believe that partnerships like Georgia Power and Mitsubishi Power’s will serve as blueprints for broader hydrogen deployment. Federal funding initiatives, such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen Hubs program, are expected to further catalyze hydrogen supply chain development in regions like the Gulf Coast and Southeast.

Future blending ratios beyond 50% may be explored at Georgia Power facilities as hydrogen becomes more economically viable and supply logistics improve. The fact that the M501GAC turbine operated successfully at this blend level also opens the door for gradual conversion toward fully hydrogen-fired peaking plants over the next two decades.

What strategic opportunities emerge from Georgia Power’s hydrogen strategy for other utility developers?

Utility developers across North America are watching closely as Georgia Power demonstrates a pathway for transitioning thermal assets without stranded investment. The use of modular upgrades, proven combustion technologies, and performance benchmarks from real-world trials offers a replicable playbook.

From a cost-benefit perspective, the ability to upgrade gas turbines for hydrogen blending—rather than building hydrogen-specific infrastructure from scratch—could yield capital efficiency and faster decarbonization outcomes.

Georgia Power’s layered strategy, combining emissions reductions, infrastructure modernization, and stakeholder alignment, may influence how other utilities prepare their IRPs in hydrogen-viable geographies. As demand increases and regulatory pressures mount, utilities that adopt transitional fuels like hydrogen will likely gain favor with both environmental stakeholders and institutional investors.