44280

A timeline of key events and scheduled submissions in this proceeding includes:

- February to March: Pipeline customers allowed to begin submitting applications; a webinar for the make ready program is also scheduled in this period.
- March to April: Launch of the online application portal.
- March: Opening of applications for all customers.
- April: Additional unspecified step related to project action timeline.

Other related events:
- The online application portal is currently in the testing phase, with manual processing of applications until it becomes operational.
- As of the referenced report, 27 projects are in the pipeline, and some projects (e.g., Collins Brothers, City of Savannah) are awaiting contract signatures 1.

The excerpts from the docket discuss several financial and timeline risks and concerns:

Financial Risks:
- The ability to achieve generation goals can be impacted by unplanned outages, delays, and cost increases in generation, transmission, and distribution projects. These issues can directly affect financial performance and project cost management 1.
- Utilities face inherent financial risks related to nuclear facility ownership, including environmental, regulatory, and safety-related costs 1.
- Workforce-related financial risks are cited, including rising retirement and healthcare benefit costs 1.
- Any reduction in the company’s credit ratings would raise financing costs and could necessitate guarantees for certain subsidiary operations. Changes in regulatory environments may also impede cost recovery from customers, impacting profitability 2.
- The risk of not recovering network upgrade costs for transmission interconnections is discussed, as this could lead to customer subsidies or discriminatory practices. The possibility of additional, inconsistent network upgrade costs identified by delivery studies is highlighted as a concern for developers and cost predictability 3.
- The company’s equity ratio is discussed as a key element in maintaining financial stability. Lowering the equity ratio could harm financial metrics (such as FFO to debt), negatively affecting credit ratings and financial integrity 4.
- The risk of severe reductions in allowed return on equity (ROE) is also noted, as these could harm the company's ability to attract capital and recover its cost of equity, departing from historical regulatory practice 4.

Timeline Risks:
- Project delays, especially in generation and transmission projects, are identified as risks that can extend the anticipated in-service dates and escalate costs 1.
- Specific risks related to the timing of closure and compliance costs for coal combustion residuals (CCR) are discussed. These include uncertainties and contingencies in cost estimation for each ash pond and landfill closure from 2022 through 2025, with cost uncertainty affecting project scheduling and regulatory recovery 5.
- Settlement provisions in forward sale agreements present risks if certain market or operational events occur, potentially affecting liquidity and market price of the company’s stock 6.

In summary, primary financial risks include credit rating impacts, cost recovery uncertainty, network upgrade reimbursement disputes, project cost overruns, and ROE reductions. Timeline risks focus on delays in project execution due to operational, regulatory, or financial factors, as well as uncertainties in cost estimation for environmental compliance projects.

Stakeholders in Georgia Power Company's 2022 rate case (Docket No. 44280) include:

- Georgia Power Company: The utility seeking approval for a significant rate increase and changes to rate designs, including basic service charges and tariff structures 1, 2.
- Public Interest Advocacy (PIA) Staff: Opposed Georgia Power’s proposed large rate increase, arguing it is excessive and unsupported, and recommended more gradual and limited increases to the basic service charge (BSC) 1, 2.
- Sierra Club, Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL), Southface, and Vote Solar: Opposed Georgia Power’s proposal to sharply increase the BSC (from $10 to $17.95), arguing it would disproportionately harm low-usage and low-income customers, reduce incentives for energy efficiency, and limit customer control. They also opposed eliminating the “R” tariff for new premises, advocating instead for more customer choice and better promotion of time-of-use rates 2.
- Georgia Watch: An intervenor representing residential ratepayers' interests, generally advocating for fair and reasonable rates, but specific positions on proposals are not detailed in the excerpts 3.
- Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) and Southface Energy Institute: Intervened to advocate for energy savings, equitable rates, and clean energy policies. Their filings indicate general opposition to rate increases that would harm clean energy and affordability goals 4.
- Resource Supply Management (RSM): Provides energy services to commercial/industrial customers and intervened because its business and customers are directly affected by Georgia Power’s rates and policies. Their stance is to protect their specific commercial interests; opposition or support for particular proposals is not specified 5.
- Georgia Conservation Voters Education Fund (GCVEF) and associated individuals: Sought to intervene, expressing concerns about rate increases and service reliability for residential customers. Georgia Power argued their interests were duplicative and already represented 3, 6.
- Georgia Coalition of Local Governments (City of Atlanta, City of Decatur, Athens-Clarke County, Gwinnett County, DeKalb County): Representing about 19% of Georgia’s population, they are concerned about energy affordability, data transparency, rate design, and climate resiliency. They want to ensure decisions support climate goals and energy affordability for local governments and their constituents 7.
- Walmart, Georgia Solar Energy Association, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Natural Resources Defense Council: Other intervenors with interests in rate design, affordability, and clean energy; specific positions not detailed in the provided excerpts 7.

Positions on proposals:
- FOR Georgia Power’s proposals (rate increases, BSC increases, elimination of R tariff): Georgia Power Company.
- AGAINST Georgia Power’s large rate increases and BSC hike, FOR gradualism, customer choice, energy affordability, and clean/renewable energy: PIA Staff, Sierra Club, GIPL, Southface, Vote Solar, SACE, Georgia Coalition of Local Governments.
- Seek representation of specific customer segments or interests (positions on all proposals not specified): Resource Supply Management, Walmart, MARTA, Georgia Solar Energy Association, NRDC.
- Georgia Power opposed the intervention of some individual residential customers and organizations on grounds of duplicative representation 3.

Docket 44280 concerns Georgia Power Company's 2022 rate case before the Georgia Public Service Commission. Georgia Power filed for a rate increase on June 24, 2022, as required by the Commission’s prior settlement order. The filing included testimony, exhibits, and supporting schedules covering projected revenue requirements for calendar years 2023, 2024, and 2025, with a test period from August 1, 2022, to July 31, 2023. Georgia Power requested rate increases of $852 million (2023), $107 million (2024), and $453 million (2025), along with adjustments related to base rates, compliance costs (such as coal ash pond closures), and other tariffs.

The Commission has exclusive authority over Georgia Power’s rates and charges and identified the case as complex litigation. The proceedings included supplemental filings to reflect impacts from the 2022 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and Demand Side Management (DSM) certification, as well as corrections via errata filings. Public hearings were held, and a range of parties and intervenors—including advocacy groups, federal agencies, and municipalities—participated.

Key procedural actions included consolidating multiple applications for intervention from groups such as Georgia Conservation Voters into one intervenor to ensure efficient proceedings. The docket also addressed procedural rules for public participation and intervention, and the Commission retained jurisdiction to issue further orders as needed 1 2.

The provided excerpts identify several areas of growth in the referenced docket, primarily centered on:

Large Load Economic Development Projects

- Georgia is experiencing increasing growth in large load economic development projects, with the company reporting expanding numbers of such projects to the Commission.
- The growth of these projects brings both costs (infrastructure, service preparation) and increased revenues. The company projects that the revenues from serving these large customers will put downward pressure on residential rates, committing to at least $2.89/month of downward rate pressure for typical residential customers from 2026–2028.
- Key considerations include ensuring that existing customers are protected from subsidizing costs related to new large load customers, maintaining clear applicability criteria for protections, and updating contracting tools and tariff structures as growth continues. The company’s approach seeks to ensure benefits are shared by all customers while managing the financial impact of this growth 1.

Economic and Community Development

- Investments in association dues, community service, and economic development activities are seen as necessary for business operations. These efforts help the company engage with communities, support technology efficiencies that can lower operating and maintenance expenses, and improve grid reliability.
- Such investments are justified as they drive local economic growth, sustainability, and better customer engagement, and have been previously approved by the Commission as part of the retail cost of service 2.

EV Charging Infrastructure

- Though not the central focus, there is mention of Georgia Power proposing increased investments in electric vehicle charging facilities and infrastructure upgrades. These investments are intended to support growing demand for EV charging and impact both utility operations and third-party businesses in the state 3.

In summary, the primary areas of growth are large load economic development projects, community/economic development activities, and EV infrastructure investment. Key considerations include customer protection from cross-subsidization, ensuring broad-based benefits, updating regulatory frameworks, and supporting local community and business engagement as growth continues 1, 2, 3.