Opinion: PSC commissioner’s response to Georgia energy concerns obscures reality

Editor’s note: This opinion piece relates to a recent story published by the Ledger-Enquirer and The Telegraph regarding the Public Service Commission and Georgia’s use of renewable energy. The original story can be read here.

Georgia Public Service Commissioner Bubba McDonald’s response to the recent article, “Hundreds pleaded for less fossil fuels in Georgia Power’s energy plans. Why no change?” is a blatant attempt to obscure the truth. His reply was riddled with misdirection and outright falsehoods.

First, he asserted the PSC has “added more renewable energy to every IRP since 2013.” While renewables have been added, the question is how much and compared to what? Adding only industrial solar, which profits Georgia Power, while sidelining commercial warehouse and residential rooftop solar, which benefits customers, is not a win for Georgians.

Here’s the truth: Georgia ranks 43rd place nationally for rooftop solar, and commercial warehouse solar is too low to even rank. In fact, less than 7% of Georgia Power’s generation mix is from solar, a tiny amount compared to what’s possible.

Meanwhile, Commissioner McDonald chose to ignore almost a thousand people who either came down in person or wrote to commissioners during hearings asking for more renewables, dismissing their requests as “small pockets” and “hired guns.”

Commissioner McDonald stated preference for gas and nuclear are two of the most expensive ways to generate electricity. The results tell the story: Vogtle’s nuclear reactors generated the largest rate increase in state history on May 1st, 2024 when Georgia Power increased rates 24%. And just one year prior, in May of 2023, the Commissioner approved over $2 billion in fuel surcharges be added to rates due to Georgia Power’s heavy reliance on methane gas, generating the 2nd largest rate increase in state history.

As a result, Georgia Power’s electricity bills rank among the highest in the nation, usually 4th or 5th place nationally.

Note that Commissioner McDonald is not a Georgia Power customer. These rate increases do not impact him or his family because his home is serviced by Hart Electric Membership Corporation (EMC), a nonprofit with rates that are 20% below Georgia Power rates. If fact, Georgia Power customers have no representation on the Commission because all five commissioners are EMC customers.

Commissioner McDonald’s reliance on an unsolicited email from Tom Bond, the PSC’s Utilities Director, is an absurd attempt to lend his claims an air of impartiality. Mr. Bond is hardly unbiased: as PSC Utilities Director he is responsible for carrying out the wishes of the commission. Mr. Bond provided a few cherry-picked examples of programs that reduce demand, but the reality is that these programs are extremely small, dwarfed by much larger fossil fuel investments.

The claim that the PSC has “routinely required that more resources be procured through competitive solicitations” is another example of manipulating facts. These solicitations are often not fulfilled as Georgia Power has complete authority to decide whatever they want, with no follow-up from media or the commission. Public inquiries are blocked through trade secrets and redactions.

Commissioner McDonald’s claims that the PSC “has never approved a Georgia Power IRP plan as filed” is another manipulation. Georgia Power always asks for huge amounts of new generation and accepts a slightly smaller amount during PSC negotiations, but which is still far above what is needed. As a result of years of this with no accountability from the commission, Georgia’s grid is dramatically overbuilt, delivering excess profits far beyond what any other utility enjoys.

Commissioner McDonald can try to justify his 20-year legacy on the Georgia Public Service Commission, but his votes have been devastating for Georgia Power customers financially, and for all Georgians facing climate instability.

Patty Durand is founder of Cool Planet Solutions and was president of the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative from 2011 – 2021.