May 4, 2011

Georgia Power’s residential customers may not realize it, but they have a choice when it comes to which rate they pay for their electric service.

By default, residential customers are put on Georgia Power’s “Standard Service” rate plan. The plan has a monthly base charge and a rate that changes based on your monthly usage and the time of the year. According to Georgia Power, this plan works best for customers who are comfortable with fluctuations in their monthly electric bill and less likely to alter their electricity habits in the summer months.

For those interested in alternatives to the “Standard Service” rate, Georgia Power offers a “Nights and Weekends” plan, which encourages “off-peak” electricity use. Since Georgia Power incurs higher costs to generate electricity from Monday to Friday, during the “peak” summer hours of 2:00 pm to 7:00 p.m., the “Nights and Weekends” plan offers lower rates to customers who shift their electricity consumption to off-peak hours. Customers can do this by raising the air conditioning thermostat during peak hours or shifting clothes laundering or dishwashing to nighttime, morning or weekend hours.

Supporting Green Power in Georgia

Currently Georgia Power’s main sources of green energy are solar and landfill gas, which is a type of biomass.

Georgia Power’s solar energy is purchased directly from existing customers who have installed solar panels at their residences or businesses. These solar panels produce zero emissions.

Biomass is composed of organic material made from plants and animals, such as crops and wood waste. Georgia Power uses methane gas created by decaying landfill waste as its primary supply of biomass. The landfill gas comes from the landfill gas-to-energy generation facilities at DeKalb County’s Seminole Landfill and Waste Management’s Superior Landfill in Savannah.

For customers interested in joining the growing community of Georgians who take advantage of these renewable energy options, Georgia Power offers two plans:

• Standard Green Energy Option: $3.50 (plus tax) a month per 100 kWh block. This option delivers “Green-e Energy” certified renewable energy that is generated entirely by biomass.
• Premium Green Energy with Solar Option: $5.00 (plus tax) a month per 100 kWh block. This option delivers “Green-e Energy” certified renewable energy that contains a mix of at least 50% solar and 50% biomass energy.

In both options, residential customers sign up to purchase green energy in 100 kWh blocks for a 12 month time period. Each 100 kwh block displaces power that would have otherwise been produced from traditional generating resources, such as coal. Customers can purchase multiple blocks of green energy per month up to the full bill amount. Each block is added as a separate line item to a customer’s monthly Georgia Power bill.

For more information about more efficient rate plans and green energy options, call Georgia Power or go to www.georgiapower.com.