The PSC required more than Georgia Power and Southern Company requested, although they still do not seem to understand that solar power is growing exponentially like compound interest.

See Stephen Fowler, GPB, July 16, 2019, Public Service Commission Adds More Solar To Georgia Power’s Energy Plan.

In 2013 Georgia only had some nominal solar energy online, less than 300 megawatts. In the 2013 IRP, the Commission added 525 megawatts of solar energy. Three years later, in the 2016 IRP, another 1,600 megawatts were added. By the end of 2019, Georgia should have a total of 2,400 megawatts of solar and other renewable energy on the grid. The 2,210 megawatts approved Tuesday will nearly double Georgia’s level of renewable energy by the end of 2022.

Doubling every two years is merely not falling farther behind. And what about after 2022? What’s the plan for more than doubling again by 2024, etc.? WWALS asked for 12 gigawatts. Maybe next year the PSC will take further action. Meanwhile, thanks to the many people and organizations who got the PSC to get this far on solar power, batteries, and efficiency.

The increase in distributed solar generation, from 150 MW to 210 MW is small, but at least it’s something.

In several additional positive moves, the PSC required Georgia Power to develop a pilot project for grid-connected charging of electric vehicles, and it directed PSC staff to begin a review of “Georgia Power Company’s methodology and computation of avoided cost.” Plus “Georgia Power was directed to increase its Energy Efficiency savings targets for both the residential and commercial programs by 15%.”

In a step backward, the PSC added 50 MW of biomass. Fortunately, that’s a small number compared to solar.

The PSC also bragged about continuing the nukes at Plant Vogtle, For comparison, Vogtle units 3 and 4, if ever completed, are rated at 1117 MW net summer capacity, or 2,234 MW total. That 2,210 MW of renewable energy the PSC just required within two years pretty near matches those nuke boondoggles, for far less cost, and built faster.

In other good news, the PSC is also shutting down ten coal plant generating units. But not yet Plant Scherrer, the one that sends mercury by air into our Alapaha River.

GPB linked to the GA-PSC’s own video of the vote.

Media Advisory, Georgia Public Service Commission, July 16, 2019, Commission Adds 2,210 MW of Renewable Energy in Georgia Power 2019 Integrated Resources Plan,

Atlanta, July 16, 2019—The Georgia Public Service Commission on Tuesday finalized Georgia Power Company’s 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in Dockets 42310 and 42311. As mandated by state law, the IRP is Georgia Power’s three-year plan for the state’s energy needs.

Georgia Power had initially recommended adding 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy to the grid, the vast majority in the form of utility-scale solar energy. In a stipulation agreement with Commission staff, that amount was increased to 1,650 megawatts. During Tuesday’s hearing, PSC

Chairman Lauren “Bubba” McDonald made a motion to increase the renewable/solar energy procurement to 2,210 megawatts, the largest increase in renewable energy in Georgia’s history. The five-member Commission voted unanimously for Chairman McDonald’s motion.

“I determined Georgia has the ability to add significantly more renewable energy and solar energy using a market-based approach without any upward pressure on the rate payers and no state subsidies,” McDonald said. “Solar, combined with nuclear power when Vogtle 3 and 4 go online, will give Georgians clean, reliable energy for years to come.”

Also in the IRP, Commissioners voted to close operations at certain generating units: Plant Hammond Units 1-4, Plant McIntosh Unit 1, Plant Estatoah Unit 1, Plant Langdale Units 5-6, and Plant Riverview Units 1-2.

In 2013 Georgia only had some nominal solar energy online, less than 300 megawatts. In the 2013 IRP, the Commission added 525 megawatts of solar energy. Three years later, in the 2016 IRP, another 1,600 megawatts were added. By the end of 2019, Georgia should have a total of 2,400 megawatts of solar and other renewable energy on the grid. The 2,210 megawatts approved Tuesday will nearly double Georgia’s level of renewable energy by the end of 2022.

PSC staff is working to complete the order approved Tuesday. It should be available online in a few days. The IRP filing to date can be found here: https://psc.ga.gov/facts-advancedsearch/docket/?docketId=42310.

The Georgia Public Service Commission is a five-member constitutional agency that exercises its authority and influence to ensure that consumers receive safe, reliable, and reasonably-priced telecommunications, electric and natural gas service from financially viable and technically competent companies.

For more information on the Commission, see the Commission web site at http://psc.ga.gov

Synopsis of 2019 IRP Decision

The Public Service Commission adopted the proposed Stipulation with the following additions and modifications:

1. The total amount of new competitively bid Utility Scale Renewable Resources (principally, this would be solar. But, it could include wind or some other renewable resources) was increased from 1500 MW to 2000 MW. 1000 MW will be for the Customer Renewable Supply Procurement program. 1000 MW shall be dedicated to all retail customers.
2. New Distributed Generation solar (DG) was increased from 150 MW to 210 MW. 160 MW will be competitively bid. 50 MW will be customer sited DG purchased at avoided cost.
3. 50 MW of new competitively bid biomass generation (typically wood) was added.
4. The Education Initiative Learning Power budget was increase from $3 million annually to $4 million annually.
5. Georgia Power was directed to develop a pilot project utilizing used lithium ion batteries for a gridconnected charging system for electric vehicles. The goals of the pilot are to keep fast charging of clean electric vehicles affordable and insulate the grid from spikes in electricity demand. The cost of the pilot shall not exceed $250,000.
6. Georgia Power was directed to continue providing the Automated Benchmark Tool to customers without charge.
7. Georgia Power was directed to increase its Energy Efficiency savings targets for both the residential and commercial programs by 15%.
8. The PSC Staff was directed to initiate a review of the Georgia Power Company’s methodology and computation of avoided cost.

All other provisions in the Stipulation remain the same.

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 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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