GORGAS
Retired 2019Coal power plant
- Capacity
- 1,417 MW
- Primary fuel
- Coal
- County
- Walker County
- Operator
- ALABAMA POWER CO
- EIA plant ID
- 8
- Coordinates
- 33.6448, -87.1991
GORGAS, a retired 1,417 MW Coal power plant in Walker County, Alabama. It was retired in 2019, according to EIA-860. Formerly operated by ALABAMA POWER CO.
How GORGAS compares
It was retired in 2019 according to EIA-860, so it is not counted in Alabama's operating fleet. Its operator, ALABAMA POWER CO, runs 22 operating plants in Alabama totaling 12,989 MW. It shares Walker County with one other operating plant, LEWIS SMITH DAM.
Grid neighborhood
The closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 230 kV line owned by ALABAMA POWER CO, under 0.1 miles away. Another 4 operating power plants totaling 3,028 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is JAMES H MILLER JR (2,822 MW, Coal).
Computed by Bywatts from HIFLD power plant and transmission line records and EIA-860 retirement records; distances are straight-line. Sources and methodology
Weather peril exposure
GORGAS is a retired 1,417 MW coal power plant in Walker County, AL, formerly operated by ALABAMA POWER CO. Walker County carries moderate modeled catastrophe exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index, scoring 2.2 of 5 at the 29th national percentile. Tornado is the leading peril, rated Relatively High by FEMA at the 99th percentile.
The Bywatts loss layer is calibrated to solar PV hardware, so it is not applied to a coal plant. The ratings below are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings for this location.
Walker County hazard ratings
| Peril | FEMA rating | National percentile | Peril score | Events per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively High | 99th | 5.0 of 5 | 0.91 |
| Riverine flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89th | 4.6 of 5 | 1.1 |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 88th | 4.5 of 5 | 67.8 |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 80th | 4.2 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 55th | 3.2 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 45th | 2.8 of 5 | 0.04 |
| Heat wave | Relatively Moderate | 42nd | 2.7 of 5 | 8.7 |
| Ice storm | Relatively Low | 38th | 2.5 of 5 | 0.46 |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 28th | 2.1 of 5 | 4.4 |
| Strong wind | Relatively Moderate | 25th | 2.0 of 5 | 3.8 |
| Winter weather | Relatively Moderate | 14th | 1.6 of 5 | 3.1 |
Perils not assessed in Walker County
These perils carry no usable National Risk Index figure for this county, so they are excluded from the scoring rather than scored zero. A zero would claim the peril was assessed and found benign.
| Peril | Why it is not scored |
|---|---|
| Coastal flooding | FEMA rating is "Not Applicable" for this county |
Model hail, wind and flood exposure for Walker County in the weather risk calculator
Ratings are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings; the peril score is a Bywatts transform of the FEMA national percentile. Full data sources and the solar vulnerability methodology are in the weather risk calculator.
Modeled estimate for screening and negotiation. Built from FEMA National Risk Index county hazard data and a solar vulnerability layer documented above. Not a quote, a binder, or actuarial advice, and not a substitute for a carrier's own model. Hazard data: FEMA National Risk Index December 2025, synced 2026-07-24. Resolution is county level, not site level.