GSEA PR of yesterday about Georgia Power’s attempt to tax rooftop solar generators. Proposed Solar Tariff Unfair and Damaging to Solar Growth in Georgia,

Atlanta, GA — The Georgia Solar Energy Association Chairman Mark Bell said today that the tariff on solar installations proposed in the Georgia Power rate request now under consideration by the Public Service Commission is unfair to solar customers.

The tariff, which will add roughly $22 a month to residential solar customers’ bills beginning in 2014, will have a significant “chilling effect” on the robust growth of solar development now under way in Georgia. Solar investment currently is providing jobs and new infrastructure throughout the state, including its rural areas where economic investment is badly needed. Solar energy is making Georgia farms more cost-effective and productive, and high-demand manufacturing more efficient.

“This proposal penalizes solar at the exclusion of other energy saving methods, which Georgia Power supports. Georgia Power has traditionally supported energy efficiency and we feel solar is another excellent approach for customers to save money on their energy bills,” Bell said.

The sample is yet too small for Georgia Power to obtain any reliable “cost of use” data to base this charge on, Bell said. No data on solar’s impact on the Georgia grid exists to support this proposal for a new tariff targeting solar customers.

Noting this lack of information, the Public Service Commission staff has rightly recommended against adoption of the solar tariff. In written testimony, PSC staffers Jamie Barber and Glenn Watkins said the tariff is “not in the public interest.”

“GSEA recommends that the Georgia Public Service Commissioners support the concept of a free market and a consumer’s right to choose safe, affordable options that work for their home or business. They should oppose this tariff,” Bell said.

GSEA plans to monitor its deliberations and will update members on any developments. About the Georgia Solar Energy Association: The Georgia Solar Energy Association, comprised of leading experts in solar manufacturing and installation, academia, finance, and the law is leading the effort in Georgia to promote the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy through education, advocacy and industry support. Our members are working together to make Georgia a leader in innovation, job creation, and investment. For more information, visit www.gasolar.org.

CONTACT:
Julie Hairston
Communications Director
Julie.hairston@gasolar.org
404-273-2039

Short Link: