RN-T.com – Georgia Power rejects solar power proposal

Commissioner Stan Wise asked a series of questions that led the executives to explain how expensive adding excess capacity can be or closing additional plants to avoid having a bigger excess.

“If you were aware if there was a move by this commission to force the company to buy power that it clearly did not need and there was going to be costs associated with it, you would be able to quantify it?” he asked.

“Yes, sir, I believe we’d be able to do that,” said Kyle Leach, Georgia Power’s director of resource planning.

A start-up company, Georgia Solar Utilities Inc., is also pushing a plan in the legislature and before the commission to get a statewide monopoly on solar-power production. It has said it would build a large installation in Putnam County where Georgia Power is closing its Plant Hatch. Leach said that proposal lacked details.

“Georgia Solar Utilities’ testimony failed to provide the detailed analysis that would be needed for the commission to even begin to consider its proposal,” he said. “Furthermore, Georgia Solar has not provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate that it’s qualified to undertake the proposed project.”

Five civic leaders from Putnam County appeared to ask the commission to help find a use for the plant site to replace the property taxes that closing it will cost the county. Georgia Solar Utilities has mentioned building a large solar-generation facility there.

“How do we single out Putnam County at the cost of other plants and job losses?” Wise asked.

via RN-T.com – Georgia Power rejects solar power proposal.