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Independent regulatory commissions

Georgia Power's Burton Dam Replacement Project: A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Filing

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Georgia Power, a leading energy company, has submitted a document to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) detailing their plans to replace headgate and sluice gate actuators at the Burton Dam. The dam, located on the Tallulah River in Rabun County, Georgia, is a historic site eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The proposed replacement involves removing eight old actuators and replacing two headgate actuators in-kind, with the sluice gates and sluiceways to be permanently closed and the sluicegate actuators removed. Georgia Power has consulted with the Georgia Historic Preservation Division (HPD), which has determined that the project will have no adverse effect on historic properties within the affected area.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Burton Dam, a historic site, is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
  • The proposed replacement project involves removing eight old actuators and replacing two headgate actuators in-kind.
  • The sluice gates and sluiceways will be permanently closed, and the sluicegate actuators will be removed.
  • Georgia Power has consulted with the Georgia Historic Preservation Division (HPD), which has determined that the project will have no adverse effect on historic properties within the affected area.
  • The project is governed by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA), and the Programmatic Agreement Among the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Georgia State Historic Preservation Officer, and the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Officer.
  • The Historic Preservation Division (HPD) encourages federal agencies and project applicants to discuss any changes to the project with their office to ensure that potential effects to historic properties are adequately considered in project planning.

Statistics:

  • 8: The number of old spillway gate actuators to be removed from the Betty Dam.
  • 2: The number of new headgate actuators to be installed in-kind at the Burton Dam.
  • 2: The number of sluice gate actuators to be removed from the Burton Dam.
  • 1919: The year in which the Burton Dam was constructed.
  • 1996: The year in which the Programmatic Agreement Among the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Georgia State Historic Preservation Officer, and the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Officer was executed.

Sources:

  • United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. (n.d.). FERC Project No. P-2354-06.
  • Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Historic Preservation Division. (2025, June 3). Letter to Katherine Kosalko of Georgia Power Company.
  • Southern Company Generation, Hydro Services. (2025, July 22). Letter to William J. Brown, PE, Regional Engineer, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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