Solar Startup Wants to Open New Georgia Utility

Source: http://www.soluxesolar.com/

 

Southern startup Georgia Solar Utilities (GaSU) is hoping it can lower electricity rates for area residents by rebating profits to customers—in fact, it promises to do so if given a chance to compete with Georgia Power Company as a new Georgia utility. The only problem? It won’t be easy.

“There are obstacles. There’s no question there are obstacles, but you have to look at the rewards,” GaSU President Robert E. Green said at a Capitol news conference. “We don’t know what it’s going to take, but we are prepared to go through legislative action if necessary.”

 

Indeed, obstacles are to be expected with this proposal, which is seen as fairly radical. To begin, GaSU needs approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission to build an 80-megawatt solar farm near Milledgeville, which it wants to use to start developing two gigawatts of solar power. And getting that approval involves getting past current legislation like a 40-year-law that divides the state up into sections and gives regional monopolies. The proposal is so unique, in fact, that both Georgia Power and Georgia Solar Energy Association representatives are staying silent on the subject and have declined to comment.

 

On the plus side for solar energy, however, all five members of the Public Service Commission want more renewable energy—a good sign for what’s ahead. But whether or not that will mean approval for GaSU is yet to be determined. Public Service Commissioner Bubba MacDonald did say that he felt the plan warrants a serious review.

 

Without approval, the startup could still build its solar farm, and Georgia Power would buy its electricity—but the company would only have to pay GaSUI the cheapest wholesale rate.