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Elections

As Deal installs new PSC crony, fresh opportunity arises for progressives

Gov. Nathan Deal’s cronyism is on display once again with his recent appointment of Tricia Pridemore to the Public Service Commission. But the 2018 elections (including the primaries on May 22) give progressives an opportunity to push back. The Public Service Commission — which is charged with regulating the state’s utilities and defending consumer interests — is getting someone who will support the cost-overruns and significant delays that have plagued the Plant Vogtle expansion. Pridemore

2018 Legislative Session

As new bill loses its bite, Georgia Power is let off the hook for Plant Vogtle again

A bill from Sen. Chuck Hufstetler that would have finally slammed Georgia Power with the consequences of its Plant Vogtle disaster suddenly lost its bite in the Georgia Legislature last Thursday. The provisions that would hold Georgia Power accountable for Plant Vogtle were slashed from the bill. The Regulated Industries and Utilities committee unanimously passed the new legislation — easy to do once the most critical part of the bill had been stripped away. The nuclear

Environment

PSC continues to give Georgia Power the green light

The PSC continues to give Georgia Power the green light on Plant Vogtle. Georgia Power will rake in billions of dollars in profit because the PSC continues to allow the company to finance their failures on the backs of ratepayers. All of this despite many critics of Plant Votgle saying Georgia doesn’t even need more nuclear power. Southern Company, one of the largest energy providers in the country, gave its CEO a 34 percent raise

Clean Water

One year later: Coal Ash disposal still a concern for environmental activists

A year and a half ago, Georgia Power announced they would close ALL of their toxic coal ash ponds in Georgia. But environmentalist continue to be concerned about the lack of regulation and transparency with the process. Coal ash, also called coal combustion residuals or CCR, is the waste byproduct from coal-fired power plants. It is a powdery residue that contains heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium and mercury that can leach into the local environment.

Plant Vogtle

New proposal would force Georgia Power to pay for Plant Vogtle

A new proposal, SB355, which boasts bipartisan support, would prevent utilities from collecting finance fees for a project beyond its initial completion date. This would be a huge blow to Georgia Power whose Plant Vogtle project is five years past schedule and $22 billion over budget. This bill would shift the cost burden for the Plant Vogtle disaster back on Georgia Power. Ratepayers shouldn’t have to shoulder the cost of a project like Plant Vogtle,

Environment

Public Service Commissioners are trying to buy your vote

After years of allowing Georgia Power to swindle its ratepayers to fund the Plant Vogtle disaster, the Public Service Commissioner is making the corporation send three $25 refunds to their ratepayers, right before the PSC’s 2018 elections. The motion to approve continued investment in the nuclear project, authored by Tim Echols, includes this command: “The Company will take a portion of the amounts received from the Toshiba Parent Guaranty and credit each customer with three