Reliable energy powers our small businesses, our communities and our future | Opinion
For more than three decades, I’ve had the privilege of owning and publishing the “Macon-Middle Georgia Black Pages.” Since its beginning, this platform has been dedicated to amplifying the voices and visibility of small, Black-owned businesses across our region. This includes barbers and hair stylists, daycare owners, contractors, and countless other entrepreneurs. Each person has their own individual stories, which highlight how hard work, determination, and community support can turn a vision into a thriving business. While I’ve seen more successful businesses open than I can count, I’ve also seen just how fragile dreams can be, and just how quickly they can fall apart if foundational systems become unreliable.
Having access to reliable and affordable energy is not just a convenience, it is a cornerstone of economic prosperity and sustained success for small businesses. Whether it’s a baker who fires up the ovens before dawn, a mechanic who needs power to run their tools, or a restaurant owner relying on refrigeration to keep inventory safe, dependable access to electricity determines these businesses’ success. As a small business owner myself, I understand how crucial it is to plan, to budget, and to grow with confidence. You can’t do that in the dark.
Sensical, long-term energy planning is a must, and Georgia Power is doing it correctly. It’s not just about managing supply and demand, but rather about ensuring the infrastructure exists to support communities and entrepreneurs in every corner of the state. That means that when someone decides to open or expand a business, they should be able to count on everyday necessities like reliable and affordable power.
Beyond the immediate needs of small businesses, having access to reliable and affordable energy plays a broader role in building economic opportunity. Investments in infrastructure attract new industries. Those industries don’t just bring jobs, they create vendor contracts, new customers, and partnerships that local small businesses can plug into. Every new manufacturing plant or data center opens the door for dozens of smaller companies to supply goods and services to keep them running.
Let’s not forget the next generation either. The same forward-thinking plans that keep our businesses open today also create pathways to new careers in the trades, construction, and emerging technologies. With the right support, young people coming out of technical colleges and high schools in our region can find opportunities that allow them to stay, work, and thrive right here at home.
When we talk about our energy future, we shouldn’t just see it as a matter of utilities and grids. We should see it as a matter of economic justice, workforce opportunities, and community investments. At the end of the day, our communities are stronger when our businesses are strong. And our businesses are stronger when they can depend on having access to the basic building blocks of modern commerce, including electricity.
A future that includes reliable and affordable energy gives us the confidence to dream, the foundation to build, and the resilience to grow. Let’s plan together for today and tomorrow, and ensure no one in Georgia is left in the dark.
Alex Habersham is the owner and publisher of the Macon-Middle Georgia Black Pages. The Black Pages is an annual publication that serves as a lifeline in connecting African American and minority business to the local citizens. Habersham also hosts Macon’s Call to Action radio and internet show and previously served as Chairman of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Tax Assessors and as Vice-Chair of Communications for the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce.