Robert W. Scherer Power Plant Robert W. Scherer Power Plant, commonly known as Plant Scherer, is the largest coal-fired power plant in the United States by generating capacity. Located near Juliette, Georgia, the four-unit facility is operated by Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company.
Last verified: 2026-03-09Plant 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.
Workers at Plant Scherer were exposed to asbestos primarily during the construction phase and early maintenance of Units 1 and 2, which were built before asbestos use was significantly curtailed. Boiler insulation, pipe lagging, gaskets, and refractory materials containing asbestos were installed throughout the earlier units. Construction workers and pipe fitters who built the plant, as well as maintenance crews who serviced it during early operations, faced the greatest exposure risk.
The following job categories at Robert W. Scherer Power Plant had the highest risk of asbestos exposure:
Construction workers and early operational staff at Plant Scherer have faced asbestos-related health risks including mesothelioma and asbestosis. While the plant was built later than many facilities on this list, the use of asbestos-containing materials in the early 1980s still created significant exposure for construction crews and maintenance workers. Georgia's industrial workforce includes numerous power plant employees who have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases.
Health information is based on established medical research on asbestos exposure. Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the National Cancer Institute, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consult a physician for medical advice specific to your situation.
Workers exposed to asbestos at Robert W. Scherer Power Plant may be entitled to compensation through asbestos trust funds, personal injury lawsuits, or veterans benefits. Mesothelioma patients and their families have recovered billions in compensation from companies that manufactured or used asbestos products.
2 asbestos trust funds have been identified as potentially related to exposure at this site. Many mesothelioma patients qualify to file claims with multiple trusts simultaneously.
Find Out If You QualifyWorkers who were employed at Robert W. Scherer Power Plant between 1980s may have been exposed to asbestos-containing materials. If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, you may have legal options including trust fund claims and lawsuits.
Workers exposed to asbestos at Robert W. Scherer Power Plant may be eligible to file claims with the following trust funds:
If you were exposed to asbestos at Robert W. Scherer Power Plant and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, these specialized treatment centers in Georgia may be able to help.
Yes. Although Plant Scherer was built later than many power plants, asbestos-containing materials were used in the construction of the earlier units in the early 1980s, including boiler insulation, pipe insulation, gaskets, and refractory materials.
Construction workers who built the plant and maintenance crews who serviced the early units were most at risk, including pipe fitters, insulators, boiler operators, and electricians.
Yes. Workers who were exposed to asbestos during the construction or early operation of Plant Scherer and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or other asbestos-related diseases may be eligible for compensation through trust funds or legal action.
No. Missing paperwork is normal after this long, and it is not what decides a claim. A Social Security earnings statement lists every employer you had, by year, and can usually be requested directly. Union records, W-2s and a DD-214 for military service do similar work. Coworkers who were there can also confirm conditions. What matters most is what you remember, written down in your own words.
Yes. A wrongful death claim can be brought by the estate or eligible family members, and it is a separate route from a claim the patient would have brought themselves. It also runs on a different clock: the deadline generally starts at the date of death rather than the date of diagnosis, which means families are sometimes still in time when they assume they are not. Deadlines are set by each state, so confirm the one that applies to yours.
Possibly. Asbestos fibres travelled home on work clothes, in hair and in vehicles, and household members were exposed while washing laundry or greeting someone at the end of a shift. This is called secondhand or take-home exposure and it is a recognised route to a claim in its own right, not an exception. If you are documenting a family member's work history, write down your own contact with their work clothing as well.
You do not need a lawyer, a diagnosis, or a decision to do this. You need a piece of paper. Memory is the part of a claim nobody else can reconstruct for you, and it is the part that fades.
If you are doing this for a relative who has died, write down what you remember too, including work clothes brought home to be washed. Household exposure is a real claim, not an edge case.
That is usually enough to work out which claims are open to you — trust funds, a lawsuit, or VA benefits if the exposure happened in service. You do not need records, dates you are certain of, or the name of a product. If you are asking on behalf of someone who has died, a family member can file and the deadline runs differently. No cost, no obligation, and no pressure to decide anything today.
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