Dive Summary:
- Lauren “Bubba” McDonald Jr., a member of Georgia’s Public Service Commission, is pushing Georgia Power to come up with new provisions for solar energy. McDonald joins a Republican movement – including the Tea Party – to ramp up Georgia’s renewables portfolio. The commission will vote on the issue this July.
- McDonald wants Georgia Power to have 500 or more megawatts of solar energy – which is a fifth of the generating capacity of Georgia Power's two nuclear plants operating at Plant Vogtle. Tom Fanning, CEO of Southern Co., the parent company of Georgia Power , says there are too many clouds to meet solar mandates. Also, Georgia Power has the nation’s “largest voluntary solar portfolio,” and is close to linking with 210MW of solar generators.
- But GOP and Tea Party leaders aren’t satisfied. “We have to diversify our energy portfolio. We can no longer be dependent, and have all our eggs in one basket,” said Debbie Dooley, state coordinator of Atlanta Tea Party Patriots.
From the article:
“What has caused Republicans, who last year turned solar-cell manufacturer Solyndra into the poster child for wrong-headed federal subsidies, to link arms with environmentalists and challenge the political clout of Georgia Power?"
