Tag Archives: Coal

Energy efficiency is cost-effective –Another @ GA PSC 2013-06-18

Someone made a very good case for the cost-effectivness of energy efficiency


for saving money, health, and comfort,
at

the Georgia Public Service Commission meeting Tuesday 18 June 2013.
He didn’t start by saying his name, and I had a camera battery replacement
about that time, but most of his talk is here.

Here’s

the video:



Energy efficiency is cost-effective –Another

Georgia Power proposed closing of coal plants,

Administrative Session, GA Public Service Commission (GA PSC),

Doug Everrett (1: south Georgia), Tim Echols (2: east Georgia), Chairman Chuck Eaton (3: metro Atlanta), Stan Wise (5 north Georgia), Bubba McDonald (4: west Georgia),

Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),

244 Washington Street SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334-9052, 18 June 2013.

-jsq

Geothermal and net zero –Unknown @ GA PSC 2013-06-18

“I’d like to see Georgia Power… provide a geothermal and solar net zero
energy concept for the project that could act as a demonstration project
for them as well,”


said someone unknown from Putnam County,
at

the Georgia Public Service Commission meeting Tuesday 18 June 2013.
(This is why to always say your name when you speak.)
Could have been

Putnam County Commissioner Alan Foster.
He also asked for a convention center, golf course, and lakefront activities
area, and naturally at least one Public Service Commissioner latched
onto the golf course.
The speaker said his “vision” involved privatization.
Seems to me the problem is the existing privatization of the GA PSC.

Here’s

the video:



Geothermal and net zero –Unknown

Georgia Power proposed closing of coal plants,

Administrative Session, GA Public Service Commission (GA PSC),

Doug Everrett (1: south Georgia), Tim Echols (2: east Georgia), Chairman Chuck Eaton (3: metro Atlanta), Stan Wise (5 north Georgia), Bubba McDonald (4: west Georgia),

Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), 244 Washington Street SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334-9052, 18 June 2013.

-jsq

Moving on and finances –Billy Webster, Putnam County Commission @ GA PSC 2013-06-18



“This year we’re not even going to be able to hold the line on the millage rate,”
said Billy Webster, Putnam County Commissioner,
at

the Georgia Public Service Commission meeting Tuesday 18 June 2013.
He wants Georgia Power to do something to help reinvent the Plant Branch property.
He asked GA PSC to help Putnam County do that.

Here’s

the video:



Moving on and finances –Billy Webster, Putnam County Commission

Georgia Power proposed closing of coal plants,

Administrative Session, GA Public Service Commission (GA PSC),

Doug Everrett (1: south Georgia), Tim Echols (2: east Georgia), Chairman Chuck Eaton (3: metro Atlanta), Stan Wise (5 north Georgia), Bubba McDonald (4: west Georgia),

Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),

244 Washington Street SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334-9052, 18 June 2013.

-jsq

Water and Economy –Bill W. Sharp, Vice Chair, Putnam Development Authority @ GA PSC 2013-06-18

Bill W. Sharp, Vice Chair of the



Putnam Development Authority noted Georgia Power had water permits
and asked three things at

the Georgia Public Service Commission meeting Tuesday 18 June 2013:

  1. Currently Georgia Power has a permit to use water from Lake Sinclair.
    We would ask to use this permit for the
    for the economic development of Putnam County.
  2. We would ask you to encourage Georgia Power to assist in bringing
    new industry to our area through their vast network of economic development.


  3. …commit to maintain the current full level of Lake Sinclair and Lake
    Oconee in order to continue the developments around the lake.

Chairman Eaton said the PSC was in a difficult position.
Sharp said he understood business and praised Georgia Power yet again, but:

From our standpoint
we’d like them to help us get on with life
and make life better in Putnam County
by helping us find this development.
Let’s go out and create some new ideas.
And they can do that.
And we’d like you to encourage them with your power and your prowess.

Here’s

the video:

Continue reading →

Georgia Power’s Plant Arkwright site still unused 11 years later

What’s happened to Georgia Power’s close-in-2002 Coal Plant Arkwright
that

Putnam County Manager Paul Van Houte used as a bad example?


Job security at Plant Arkwright
According to

Georgia Power’s own online history:

In 2002, the company retired 11 generating units at three sites including
all of the units at Plant Atkinson and Plant Arkwright and two units at
Plant Mitchell.

Southern Company has online a

press release from 15 May 2002: Continue reading →

Putnam County Manager wants solar to replace coal @ GA PSC 2013-06-18



Putnam County sent a delegation to


the Georgia Public Service Commission meeting Tuesday 18 June 2013.
You’ve already seen

Rep. Rusty Kidd; next up was the Putnam County manager.

County Manager

Paul Van Haute
said
$175,000 in SPLOST money from

Putnam County


Paul Van Haute, Putnam County Manager
Unfortunately we had budgeted
$275,000,
so we’re about
$100,000 a year short
based on our estimates.
That is directly attributable to the loss of coal sales from Plant Branch.
Also on top of that we’re losing about $950,000 to $980,000 of property tax.
That is about one seventh of our property tax receipts.
This is a very big impact to the community.

About then he was interrupted by Chairman Chuck Eaton, who asked: Continue reading →

Videos of GA PSC on Georgia Power coal plant closings @ GA PSC 2013-06-18

Videos of the morning part of the 18 June 2013 Georgia Public Service Commission


Administrative Session,
which was mostly about two Georgia Power dockets

on closing coal plants
and future energy,
plus a

telecommunications rules docket.


GA PSC: Doug Everrett (1: south Georgia), Tim Echols (2: east Georgia), Chairman Chuck Eaton (3: metro Atlanta), Stan Wise (5 north Georgia), Bubba McDonald (4: west Georgia)




First they had a lengthy

devotional on Joseph sold into slavery to the Egyptians (Georgia Power
probably didn’t like being referred to in that manner).
There was a sign posted outside the door:
do not enter; devotional in progress.


Chairman Eaton finally
started the meeting with Continue reading →

Rep. Rusty Kidd urged GA PSC to ask GA Power for solar to replace coal Plant Branch @ GA PSC 2013-06-18

First public witness about the GA Power 2013 IRP at the



the Georgia Public Service Commission meeting Tuesday 18 June 2013.

GA Rep. Rusty Kidd district 145, who argued for more solar power.


Rep. Rusty Kidd and GA PSC

Rep. Kidd noted

coal Blant Branch closing

Rep. Rusty Kidd and Press
would have substantial economic effect on Putnam County.
He said one of his friends was selling his house on Lake Sinclair
because he knew Putnam County taxes would be going up.
Rep. Kidd urged the Commission to have Georgia Power use
the land of Plant Branch for solar energy.
He also noted that the more coal plants that closed,
the more natural gas would have a monopoly,
and then he expected the price of natural gas to go up.
So he concluded by urging GA PSC to have Georgia Power
put solar power on the Plant Branch property in the near future.

Here’s

the video: Continue reading →

GA PSC to require twice as much solar from Georgia Power? @ GA PSC 2013-06-18

Commissioner McDonald wants twice as much solar power from Georgia Power,

Georgia Power execs testify before GA PSC
while Commissioner Stan Wise asked questions leading to Georgia Power
maybe saying that would cost more, yesterday at the Georgia Public
Service Commission in Atlanta.
Doubling from 271 megawatts planned to more than 500 MW would be good;
at least that’s a start on
catching up to New Jersey’s already-installed 1,000 MW.

Jacksonville.com reported today,

Georgia Power tells regulators adding solar generation will cost consumers more:
PSC Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald wants Georgia Power to double solar generation, Continue reading →

Review of the misleading movie Pandora’s Promise

Here’s a trailer for the “documentary” pro-nuke film that comes out today,



Pandora’s Promise.
The film discounts solar and wind energy because its makers
don’t understand the exponential decrease in solar prices or
the night backup power ability of wind connected with a smart grid.
The vast majority of the American people already are demanding
those real renewables instead of nuclear or coal,
and the economics of wind and solar are also rapidly beating natural gas.

Atom Ecology’s promotional writeup 7 June 2013,

Pandora’s Promise – Anti-Nuclear Mob Burns Environment In Coal Fired Forges Of Industry For 30 Years begins,

A new documentary film that reveals how opposition to and voting
against nuclear power turned into massive increases in coal burning
power plants. The far worse outcome for the environment as coal has
filled energy demand is the story just coming to theatres.

The tiny germ of truth in that ten years ago is just plain wrong now
that coal is not the alternative because

solar has reached grid parity with nuclear, coal, and natural gas.

The movie plays up Stewart Brand’s conservationist credentials
and his conversion to pro-nuke.


Not in that movie, but

in this TED talk,
you can see
Stewart Brand lose a debate with Mark Z. Jacobson, who argued
we can power the whole world with sun, wind, and water.
Jacobson’s summary: Continue reading →