Rumor is that, like last weekend, the incumbents won't show up for this afternoon's Public Service Commission debates, this time on Georgia Public Television.
GPB does still list them as "invited", with this schedule for today, Sunday 22 July 2012:
Date and Time
Debate
Invited Candidates
Sunday, July 22 at 4:30 pm
Public Service Commission District 3 Republican
Chuck Eaton and Matt Reid
Sunday, July 22 at 5 pm
Public Service Commission, District 5 – Republican
Pam Davidson and Stan Wise
If the incumbents don't bother to show up, how responsive to the people are they?
The largest economic development project in the southeast is the two
nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle. Now you may say, “I’m a Cobb EMC customer.” Well, when Georgia Power, as the largest regulated utility in the state builds a new facility, often that serves as a merchant facility, or Georgia Power will sell it to the EMCs. So indirectly the Commission votes on EMC issues.
According to Oglethorpe Power the statewide consortium of EMCs of which Cobb EMC is the largest,
Oglethorpe Power is a 30 percent owner of Plant Vogtle’s existing Units 1 and 2 and will own 30 percent of the two new units as well.
Back to Pam Davidson:
But you want to be very very careful about those nuclear plants. And we have problems, ladies and gentlemen. We have problems with nuclear reactors 1 and 2. And all those problems are really cost problems. I am in favor of nuclear energy. I think it’s a great source of energy. However, nuclear energy cannot survive a rennaissance if it’s so expensive.
Already they are almost a billion dollars over and running behind schedule. People closely following this slow-motion train wreck doubt that the actual cost of Vogtle 3 and 4 will be less than $20 billion — and that is excluding capital costs, which ratepayers will be paying for the rest of their lives (like our house mortgages). To put that in perspective, the State of Georgia budget is about $20 billion annually.
The Public Service Commission has a third party monitor who helps them assess whether the project and associated costs are on track. Right now, Georgia Power is on the hook for $400 million in cost overruns. This fall will likely be a critical time for Georgia regulators to make a go/no-go decision. In the meantime, now is your chance to find out whether the two Public Service Commissioners who are up for election this year, Chuck Eaton and Stan Wise, deserve another term. Georgia Public Broadcasting will be hosting a debate which will air Sunday at 5pm. Click here for the broadcast, and don’t forget to vote on July 31st!
According to GPB, the PSC debate schedule for Sunday 22 July 2012 is:
Date and Time
Debate
Invited Candidates
Sunday, July 22 at 4:30 pm
Public Service Commission District 3 Republican
Chuck Eaton and Matt Reid
Sunday, July 22 at 5 pm
Public Service Commission, District 5 – Republican
Rumor is that, like last weekend, the incumbents won't show up for this afternoon's Public Service Commission debates, this time on Georgia Public Television.
GPB does still list them as "invited", with this schedule for today, Sunday 22 July 2012:
