History & Asbestos Use
Plant Scherer was constructed in phases, with Unit 1 beginning operation in 1982, Unit 2 in 1984, Unit 3 in 1987, and Unit 4 in 1989. Although built later than many other coal plants, asbestos-containing materials were still used in the earlier units before regulations tightened in the mid-1980s. The plant was named after Robert W. Scherer, a former president of Georgia Power. It remains one of the single largest sources of electricity in the southeastern United States.