Tag: Georgia PSC

Plant Vogtle allies spend big to buy Georgia PSC runoff for GOP

Jonathan Grant @Brambleman The latest outrage I was in the middle of writing another post when this comes into my DMs from my buddy, former State Rep. and PSC candidate John Noel, accompanied by appropriate salty language—a link to an AJC article: Pro-nuclear power group pumps $750,000 into Georgia PSC runoff An “independent committee” funded by a nuclear-power industry group is plowing at least $750,000 into next week’s Public Service Commission runoff in support of incumbent utility regulator Chuck Eaton, an advocate of Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle project. The group, which was formed the week after the general election, reported receiving the money from a Washington D.C. group called Nuclear Matters, part of the Nuclear Energy Institute. The committee began running ads…

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Georgia Voter’s Guide: Did your legislator vote to let Georgia Power charge you $100 a year upfront for Plant Vogtle?

Jonathan Grant @Brambleman Go on, scroll down to the list of pro-Vogtle legislators if you want. I don’t blame you. My state senator is on it. That $100 a year fee on your Georgia Power bill is called the Nuclear Construction Cost Recovery Fee. The Georgia Public Service Commission voted recently to lower it by a buck a month, but it wasn’t tightening the leash on Georgia Power, because that’s not how the PSC rolls. The reduction is a result of a lower corporate tax rate and a payback from bankrupt nuclear contractor Toshiba. The money pit Georgia Power’s Plant Vogtle: What’s the cost now—$30 billion? The sad truth is that it doesn’t matter, because the cost will go up again. The…

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Even the owners want out of the Plant Vogtle Boondoggle

Jonathan Grant @Brambleman Here’s the latest on the Plant Vogtle disaster from the AJC: The survival of those two new nuclear reactors under construction at Plant Vogtle just got more complicated. The electrical membership coop run by the city of Jacksonville, Fla., wants out of the deal. Here’s why that matters: Earlier this month, we got the news that the cost of the two reactors had gone up by $2.3 billion – only a few months after the state Public Service Commission approved the lower amount. The full price of the Vogtle upgrade is now $27 billion, double what was originally estimated and five years behind schedule. The increase requires investors in the project to re-affirm their decision to move forward by Sept. 30. Georgia…

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Georgia women take two different paths to claim Democratic PSC nominations

Above: Selfie of victorious PSC Democrats Lindy Miller (Post 3) and Dawn Randolph (Post 5) I found this historic photo on Dawn Randolph’s Twitter page. Democrat Lindy Miller ran against two men and won with nearly 2/3 of the vote in the Georgia Public Service Commission Post 3 race. Fellow Dem Dawn Randolph faced one man and took more than 3/4 of ballots cast for Post 5. Lindy committed heavily to fundraising and ran a well-financed campaign with money for Atlanta TV ads, which do not come cheap. Dawn, who’s run for the PSC before, had a shoestring campaign, raising just a few thousand dollars. Republican Commissioners Chuck Eaton and Tricia Pridemore have campaigns financed by utility interests. Lindy and Dawn do…

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Statewide media coverage for solar-powered Georgia PSC candidate John Noel

Unlike his opponents, Noel is running a statewide campaign for a seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission. Talking to farmers in Vidalia and city residents in Savannah, he’s hearing the same thing — people feel neglected by Atlanta politicians who don’t get out and listen to the people.  If they did, rural broadband and Georgia Power’s customer service would be bigger issues. One Toombs County onion farmer told John, “Politicians in Atlanta don’t care about anyone south of I-16.” His efforts have paid off with earned media coverage and new contacts. It’s important to have a running start at this November’s general election, and he’s the candidate with a base in rural Georgia to build on.   Click the links and take…

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