Leaders
of the Atlanta Tea Party are challenging Southern Co. subsidiary
Georgia Power over the monopoly's reluctance to increase its use of
solar power, the ballooning costs of building a new nuclear power plant
and even its legal right to monopoly status.
The group's action in Georgia seems relatively rare among the loosely linked tea party organizations nationally.
Other
tea party groups have condemned the adoption of "smart" utility meters _
which transmit information about customer usage _ due to concerns that
they would intrude on customers' privacy, or have broadly backed less
reliance on foreign energy. But relatively few have endorsed so specific
an energy platform in their own backyards, much less promised to
campaign on it.
"It
certainly isn't anything personal, but one of our core values is
promoting the free-market system," said Julianne Thompson, a co-founder
of the Atlanta Tea Party.
The
electricity market in Georgia is not a free market. State law gives
electric utilities, including Georgia Power, exclusive rights to serve
customers in designated areas of the state. Most customers cannot choose
their provider.
While
monopolies have more power to charge higher prices than firms in
competitive markets, there are times when it makes sense to allow them
if their prices are regulated.
It
would be more expensive to build more than one system of electric wires
or natural gas pipelines to deliver power and fuel to every home in a
state. Customers are better off if just one system is built and
maintained, as long as the company that runs the system is prohibited by
regulators from using its monopoly power to drive up prices.Advance LED
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In many states,Those ledspotlights
produce power for the utility grid. including Texas and most of the
Northeast, power delivery is regulated, but customers can choose who
provides their electricity. Customers in those states can choose from
companies that provide such options as renewable power or a slate of
pricing options, including fixed rates, rates that vary with market
fluctuations, or rates that vary based on when during the day power is
used.
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Debbie Dooley, another co-founder of the Atlanta Tea Party, urged the
state's elected utility regulators on the Public Service
Commission,generator prepositive design which wind drive the airpurifier
without gears. all Republicans, to force Georgia Power to use more
solar energy. The commission is currently debating whether to approve
Georgia Power's latest plan for meeting the state's long-term energy
needs.
Dooley
actually wants to go much further. She says if her organization viewed
it as politically possible, it would support repealing a law granting
monopoly rights to utilities.
"They can protect their business and say, 'We don't want the competition.Solar and electric floortiles1
systems are easy to install and economical to operate.' They have veto
power," Dooley said. "It would be like Wal-Mart saying, 'Hey we don't
want Kmart here. We don't want them to build.'"
Dooley
personally endorsed a Libertarian challenger against Commissioner Stan
Wise, a Republican who she said had gotten too close to Georgia Power.
But
Wise said he questions how many people Dooley actually represents, and
he doubts the solar projects she champions are economical.
"I
just almost have to think it's a kneejerk reaction that says if it's
solar, it has to be good," Wise said. "And they haven't done their
homework on this extraordinary level of subsidy that this program brings
to the table."
The
tea party groups are also targeting Georgia Power over the rising cost
to build two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle. The utility's share
of the project was supposed to cost $6.1 billion, but Georgia Power is
seeking permission to raise its budget to $6.85 billion _ and cautioned
that costs may still increase.
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