PSC To Vote On Georgia Power Coal and Solar Plans

The state reviews and votes on Georgia Power’s long term energy plan every three years.

This year, as the result of looming clean air regulations and an ongoing natural gas boom, the plan includes retiring 15 of the company’s oldest and dirtiest coal and oil fired units.

PSC Chairman Chuck Eaton says natural gas, nuclear, and renewables are Georgia’s future.

“I think the safest bet is that you’re going to see less and less coal. I just can’t imagine approving a new coal plant under these circumstances.”

Still, most of the state’s energy comes from coal, natural gas, and nuclear. Less than one percent comes from solar.

A proposal sponsored by Commissioner Bubba McDonald would change that and force Georgia Power to more than triple its solar capacity over the next two years.

Solar advocates, environmental groups, and the Atlanta Tea Party have joined forces to support the plan. The Tea Party’s Debbie Dooley says it’ll spur Georgia’s solar industry and make the state’s energy market more competitive down the line.

“I would love, love to use solar during the peak hours that are so expensive with Georgia Power,” said Dooley. “We need to be proactive and not reactive to things.”

Gov. Nathan Deal weighed in earlier this week and isn’t as bullish.

“I have great difficulty mandating what an energy portfolio must look like.”

Chairman Eaton wouldn’t say how he’ll vote, but hinted that it may not be the right time to be mandating more energy of any kind.

“A lot of our supply was based on previous forecasts that occurred while the economy was still booming and humming along. Now that the economy has been constricted and we’re just coming out of the Great Recession, we’ve got too much capacity and so immediately it’s not an issue,” said Eaton.

The vote on the solar proposal and Georgia Power’s larger 20-year energy plan takes place at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.