By Jonathan Shapiro
June 17, 2010

The Public Service Commission today responded to scrutiny over Atlanta Gas Light’s proposed pipeline expansion to the Reynolds resort in Greene County, voting to delay the project until more financial data is provided by AGL.

The 40-mile pipeline would have to cross two counties in order to serve the Reynolds resort, which is home to a Ritz-Carlton hotel and several private golf courses.

Georgia Watch Deputy Director Danny Orrock spoke before the Public Service Commission at a committee meeting last week, arguing that the project – whose estimated cost is $25 million, but could balloon to as high as $75 million – is unnecessary and not in the public interest. Read more

By Clare McGuire
June 10, 2010

IRP update – On May 19th, Georgia Watch witness Jay Hakes testified before the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) regarding Georgia Power Company’s 2010 Integrated Resource Plan filing.

Hakes said that Georgia Power’s residential and commercial energy efficiency programs were inadaquate. He characterized the company’s new homes program as suffering from “piddling incentives.”

His testimony also included a recommendation that the Commission adopt a standard included in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which provides that, with respect to long-term planning, each electric utility must “adopt policies establishing cost-effective energy efficiency as a priority resource.” Read more

By Jonathan Shapiro
May 21, 2010

A Fulton County judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Atlanta Gas Light alleging it increased customer rates by up to $400 million without facing the regulatory scrutiny required by law.

The seniors’ advocacy group AARP sued on grounds that it was denied discovery rights during AGL’s request proceeding before the Public Service Commission. AGL argued – and the PSC ultimately agreed – that it had no legal obligation to provide discovery, since AGL was seeking approval of a surcharge, rather than a formal rate increase.

Georgia Watch and Common Cause, in support of AARP’s appeal, jointly filed an amicus brief arguing the request for the new surcharge was tantamount to a rate increase. Read more

New study from Nobel Prize Winner shows how aggressive energy efficiency policies could make Georgia a leader in smart energy use

ATLANTA, GA – (April 12, 2010) – According to a new study released today by a team of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Duke University’s Nicholas Institute, aggressive adoption of energy efficiency programs in Georgia would lower utility bills by $3.8 billion and create 32,200 new jobs by 2020. Avoided annual electricity consumption is equal to the amount of electricity produced by six power plants in 2020 and 10 power plants in 2030.

Across the Southern region, aggressive adoption of energy efficiency programs would lower utility bills by $41 billion and create 380,000 new jobs by 2020.

“Georgia families are letting hundreds of dollars slip through their fingers each year – money none of us can afford to waste,” Angela Speir Phelps, executive director of Georgia Watch (and former Georgia Public Service Commissioner) said. “It’s imperative that state leaders encourage energy efficiency as a way to help consumers mitigate increasing utility bills.” Read more

A new report, released by Georgia Watch and Consumer Federation of America, finds that Georgia families will continue to spend an extra $450 per year on their energy bills if strong energy efficiency policies are not incorporated into the climate and energy legislation before Congress. The report shows that robust state and federal energy efficiency policies could dramatically reduce energy consumption and save Georgians money on their energy bills every year. Read the rest of this entry »

By David Markiewicz, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 21, 2010
The state Public Service Commission is scheduled to hold public hearings Monday and Tuesday in Georgia Power’s fuel cost recovery case.
If the utility gets what it’s asking — $3.9 billion to cover its cost of coal, natural gas and nuclear fuel for the next 14 months, plus $683 million in under-recovered past costs — the typical residential customer will pay nearly $7 more each month on his electric bill.more

Georgia Watch has written a formal letter of concern to Joseph B. Doyle, Administrator of the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs (GOCA). Georgia Watch believes that, as GOCA’s Administrator, it is in Mr. Doyle’s power to intervene in utility rate cases and other critical cases heard before the Public Service Commission (PSC) that impact consumers’ wallets. He has made no such intervention to date and, as a result, the interests of the average Georgia consumer have gone unrepresented. Read the rest of this entry »

Southern Co. is among a group of four energy companies that will get billions in federal funding to build new nuclear reactors, according to a story in Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal. Read the rest of this entry »

By KRISTI E. SWARTZ

kswartz@ajc.com

A coalition of watchdog groups Wednesday formally called on the state to be more open with how it spends federal stimulus money…more

By Angela Speir Phelps

The phrase “a chicken in every pot” was a slogan used during Herbert Hoover’s presidential campaign in 1928. A year later, the Great Depression began. We are very blessed that we are not suffering as those who came before us did, but it’s tough times these days. Read the rest of this entry »

By Kristi E. Swartz

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Sometimes, the governor’s office receives a simple call from Washington.

Sometimes, a state agency gets a “check’s in the mail” shout-out from a federal counterpart.

And still other times, the information simply pops up on a Web site, with no bells or whistles…more

By MARGARET NEWKIRK, AARON GOULD SHEININ

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sunday, March 01, 2009

In a deepening recession, a Republican-dominated Legislature with a strong aversion to increasing taxes last week approved a bill allowing Georgia Power to charge customers early for nuclear reactors…more

The Consumer Energy Program is working to make sure stimulus money coming to the sate are used for the best possible energy programs. Stipulations in President Obama’s stimulus package will provide $130 million to Georgia for weatherization assistance programs, including attic insulation, reduction of air leakage around doors, basement insulation and heating system repairs or replacement.
Read the rest of this entry »

PSC member seeks opinion on legality of chairmanship.
PSC picks new chairman for 2-year term, but was it legal?
Utility regulators throw out state law