Georgia Power has asked the Georgia Public Service Commission for approval to expand its green energy program to include additional options for customers.
The electricity generated for the redesigned green energy program would help grow the renewable resource base in Georgia and the southeast and expand the market for renewable energy credits (RECs). RECs are created when a renewable energy facility generates electricity or uses renewable fuel.
The customers who purchase RECs through the green energy program are paying for the benefit of displacing other non-renewable sources from the electric grid. Georgia Power is proposing expanding its Green Energy program to include new or revised options: premium green energy, green energy and large volume purchase option.
At a cost of $4.50 per 100-kilowatt-hour block, premium green energy option will retain a 2% solar resource requirement. Green energy option is priced at $3.50 per 100-kilowatt-hour block, and will not include a solar or wind resource requirement. Large volume purchase option will be available on a customer specific basis after the customer purchases 400 blocks of green energy at $3.50 per block.
The Public Service Commission is expected to rule on the redesigned green energy program later in 2008. If approved, the new program would likely go into effect by the end of 2008.