Georgia’s 52 electric cities and Crisp County have been unable to respond to customer preferences in a changing energy market. Consequently, they are vulnerable to losing existing customer demand and revenues to “behind the meter” renewable energy and are artificially at a competitive disadvantage for securing new corporate and industrial demand. 

The Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA), formed in March by over 300 companies including Walmart, Google and Facebook, intends to create 60 gigawatts (GW) of new renewable energy in the United States by 2025. Nearly half of the Fortune 500 companies have specific renewable energy purchasing targets. In addition to Walmart and Facebook, more than 15 companies have corporate policies requiring 100 percent renewable energy, including Amazon, IKEA, Procter & Gamble, Kellogg’s, Johnson & Johnson, and Nike.
 
Simply put, SB 95 is a one-page bill that changes the maximum contract term between electric cities and their retail utility customers from 10 years to 20 years, for solar and wind energy only. This small change removes an artificial barrier to economic development in 39 Georgia counties.

“I am excited to help bring a level playing field to our Electric Cities  by removing unnecessary barriers to economic development and job creation in rural Georgia,” said Senator Robertson, “and to create additional and cleaner energy choices, all leading to better quality of life for all Georgia families.”
Patrick Bowie – Director of Utilities for the City of LaGrange
“We are very focused on meeting the needs of our utility customers in LaGrange and are actively exploring ways to satisfy their requirements for renewable energy without placing price risk on our remaining customers,” said Patrick Bowie, Director of Utilities for the City of LaGrange. “SB 95 will allow us to contract specifically with these customers for the length of time necessary to amortize a utility scale solar project in our community with the capacity to serve the energy needs of multiple stores served by municipalities in Georgia.”
SB 95 is good for Rural Georgia
This bill is good for rural Georgia and ensures our rural communities competitiveness in a changing economy. Thank you to Representative Tom McCall and Senators John Albers, Greg Kirk, Butch Miller, Matt Brass, and Renee Unterman. With the passage of this bill in the House, SB 95 heads to Governor Kemp’s office for his signature.