Types of Power Plants 
Base, Intermediate, Peaking Plants
Not all power plants are the same, either in purpose or in how they are operated. In the electric utility industry, there are three main types of power plants, categorized according to the functions they perform. These are called “base,” “intermediate” and “peaking” facilities. In serving its Member Systems, Oglethorpe Power maintains a fleet of generating plants that includes all three types of plants.
Electric utilities really need all three types of generating plants to make sure that they can adequately meet the needs of their customers. In recent years, utilities have constructed many peaking facilities to meet the growing demand for power primarily during those peak hours such as on hot summer afternoons.
Most base plants operating today were built in the 1970s and 1980s and have provided reliable electricity throughout the period. In fact, no new base plants have come into service in Georgia since 1989.
From top: Plant Scherer; Chattachoochee Energy Facility, Talbot Energy Facility
