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

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

Georgia Watch, the state’s leading consumer watchdog, is urging the state legislature to preserve the ability of the Public Service Commission (PSC or Commission) to help customers resolve complaints against their telephone service provider. The current version of House Bill 168 would do away with the PSC’s ability to act on behalf of customers who have complaints about their telephone service and billing.

“This bill will leave thousands of Georgians who are AT&T customers no recourse and nowhere to turn for help,” said Angela Speir Phelps, executive director of Georgia Watch. “A customer can file a complaint and the Commission can ‘receive’ it – but without the authority to resolve it – the company can say ‘go jump’ and that’s that – and that’s not good for consumers.”

A provision in section 6 of the bill (proposed OCGA 46-5-251(b)(2)) would remove the enforcement authority that the PSC currently has in regards to consumer phone complaints. Instead of being able to resolve complaints, the PSC would only be able to “receive” complaints. HB 168 is a comprehensive bill that makes sweeping changes to the UAF (Universal Access Fund) and mandates changes to what small local telephone companies can charge AT&T.

According to the PSC, in calendar year 2009, the Commission assisted AT&T customers with complaints resulting in $145,650.18 of credits or refunds.  This amount is almost half of the total amount of credits and refunds the Commission helped consumers to secure across all utilities, including natural gas, electric, and telecom, thus highlighting the importance of the Commission retaining its ability to resolve telecommunications complaints.  If HB 168 were to pass in its current form, the Commission would no longer have the authority to help phone customers who have billing or service issues to be issued credits or refunds when appropriate and also would lose any leverage to order the phone companies to resolve a customer’s non-credit/refund-related complaint.

“This legislation is being pushed by AT&T, so it makes sense that they want to tie the hands of regulators,” said Danny Orrock, deputy director of Georgia Watch. “But it doesn’t make sense to leave consumers out in the cold when they have been wronged by their phone company.”

HB 168 has been passed by both the House and Senate, but the different versions of the legislation must be reconciled before the bill can go to the Governor for signature. It is currently awaiting Senate action.

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

By Angela Speir Phelps

Most Georgians realize the impact energy bills have on their family’s budget, especially at this time of year when our natural gas bills rise. But what many may not realize is that last year, the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs completely defunded the Consumer’s Utility Counsel (CUC), a branch of the executive office that spoke up for average Georgians during the billion dollar utility cases being decided by the Public Service Commission (PSC). Read 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 »

The Georgia Public Service Commission decides what are fair and reasonable rates for services under its jurisdiction. It must balance Georgia citizens’ need for reliable services and reasonable rates with the need for utilities to earn a reasonable return on investment. The commission protects consumers’ interests while abiding by legal standards in setting rates. All matters scheduled for public hearing are heard by the commissioners or in special cases, by an appointed hearing officer in open session. Read the rest of this entry »

A major focal point of the Consumer Energy Program is a ground-level campaign to emphasize cases that will come before the PSC. Knowing our PSC members and staying updated on pending cases will ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in the decisions being made by the Commission that impact our environment and the economy. Every time you turn on your lights, pick up a phone or set your thermostat, the PSC has had some impact on that service and its cost. Check back periodically to see our positions on the following cases.

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Doug Everett – PSC Chairman
Commissioner District 1
deverett@psc.state.ga.us

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