For property owners in Decatur County, last Wednesday was one of the big days marked on the calendar.

Every year, Dec. 20 is when property taxes are due. While your typical resident may dread paying them, they can at least appreciate that they aren’t paying upwards of $100,000 like some taxpayers in Decatur County.

We have compiled the 10 biggest property taxpayers in Decatur County for 2017, and some on the list may surprise you.

Southern Power Company claimed the highest taxpayer this year, with a whopping $2.2 million paid. Southern Power’s property is just north of the Decatur County Industrial Park where a million solar panels sit soaking up our sunshine. One of the big incentives for Decatur County to have this solar panel farm built here was the large amount of taxes that would be collected off the property and equipment.

The second biggest payer is BASF Catalysts LLC. The company paid just more than $1 million. BASF is a chemical engineering company located in Attapulgus.

Third on the list is Georgia Power Company, who paid $838,347 in property taxes in 2017.

After that comes a steep drop to the fourth highest taxpayer. Shaw Industries Inc. paid $287,660 in property taxes. Another of Shaw’s properties ranks 12th on the top taxpayers list with an amount of $124,670 paid.

Coming in at fifth is Meredian Bioplastics Inc. The company paid $224,416 in property taxes this year.

The sixth biggest taxpayer in 2017 was CSX Transportation with a bill of $205,983.

Englehard Corporation ranks seventh on the top taxpayers list with $193,250 paid in 2017.

Sanfilippo, located at the Decatur County Industrial Park, comes in at eighth on the top 10 list with a bill of $178,855.

Coming in at ninth is Georgia transmission with $162,308 and at tenth is Grady Electric at $127,744.

These 10 taxpayers combined for an astounding $6.5 million in property taxes for 2017. Other factors were included in determining these taxpayers’ final due amounts, including various exemptions and credits.