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Georgia utility “adamantly opposed” to community solar

Summary

Georgia Power, a major utility in the state, strongly opposes a proposed bill known as the "Homegrown Solar Act," aimed at establishing a community solar market. The legislation intends to allow various entities, including individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and governments, to subscribe to a portion of a solar facility’s generating capacity, receiving credits on their utility bills. However, Georgia Power contends that the bill is unnecessary, describing it as a "solution in search of a problem." The utility argues that Georgia already ranks high in utility-scale solar but low in distributed solar forms like rooftop and community solar. Despite potential benefits such as reducing transmission needs and increasing resilience, Georgia Power expresses concerns about cost shifts and potential rate increases for non-solar customers. The bills must clear legislative chambers by February 29 for a path to approval.

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