Jimmy Carter and Southern Company: An Energized Bond
James “Jimmy” Earl Carter, 39th United States president and former Georgia governor, passed away on Dec. 29, 2024. He was 100, the longest-lived President in U.S. history. After battling brain cancer in 2018, Carter faced a series of health complications and had been receiving home hospice care since Feb. 2023. He was surrounded by family at the time of his passing, the Carter Center said on its website.
During his life, Carter had a longstanding relationship with Southern Company spanning back to the 1970s. According to Southern Nuclear’s website, in 1971 he led a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony using electric scissors at Plant Hatch. As Georgia governor, he played an instrumental role in the development of the Georgia Territorial Electric Service Act of 1973, which assigned territories for Georgia Power, co-ops and municipal utilities and established competition for major customers. He often collaborated with Georgia Power and depended on Southern Company to help recruit businesses to Georgia, calling the company his “best partner.”
The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter was a champion of energy and signed the Department of Energy Organization Act during his presidency, creating the Department of Energy, in 1977. Carter introduced several energy bills including the National Energy Act of 1978, which established energy goals, specifically reducing the nation's dependence on oil and increasing the use of renewable resources, such as solar energy. He was so firm in his commitment to renewable energy, Carter became the first president to use solar panels to power portions of the White House, installing 32 panels on the White House roof in 1979.
“Today, we mourn the loss of an incredible man and one of the most important humanitarians of our time - President Jimmy Carter. From his humble beginnings growing up on a peanut farm to leading our great nation, he led a life dedicated to serving others and helping the less fortunate. And, as we honor him, I am reminded of how he always led with compassion, empathy and integrity,” said Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company.
“President Carter championed clean and renewable energy, but most importantly he was a humanitarian,” Womack continued. “He believed in peace and making the world a place where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. And the Carter Center right here in Atlanta will continue to move forward his mission to spread peace, health and democracy around the world. His legacy will undoubtedly be felt for generations to come. Our prayers are with the entire Carter family.”
Throughout his life, Carter sought to promote peace, human rights, and environmental conservation. According to the White House website, Carter improved the environment through expanding the National Park System to include protection of 103 million acres of Alaskan lands. He created the Department of Education, bolstered the social security system, and appointed record numbers of women, African Americans and Hispanics to positions in government in an effort to increase human and social services. After his presidency, Carter remained committed to the plight of the less fortunate through his volunteerism with the Habitat for Humanity. Over 30 years, the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity spanned 14 countries, amassed over 100,000 volunteers, and built, renovated, or repaired more than 4,000 homes.
In 2017, Carter partnered with Georgia Power and Atlanta-based SolAmerica Energy to repurpose 10 acres of his farmland into a solar farm to help power his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A total of 3,852 solar panels operate on the land that was once home to nut and soybean crops. His solar farm can provide up to 1.3 megawatts of electricity under the right conditions.
At the close of Southern Company’s “Big Bets” documentary, Carter said: “The most transforming element in my life was when our family finally got electricity. Giving a family or human being this magic power is a life transforming element, you might say freedom.”
Carter received a B.S. degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1946. He is survived by his four children Jack, Chip, Jeff and Amy; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. He will be buried alongside Rosalynn Carter, his wife of 77 years, the Carter Center said.
