Advanced Solar Initiative

Growing the nation's largest voluntary solar portfolio

Cost effective, renewable solutions

Approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission in November 2012, the Georgia Power Advanced Solar Initiative (GPASI) is an innovative solar energy purchase program that will contract for 210 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity during the next two years. GPASI was primarily designed with the goal in mind to spur economic growth within the solar community in Georgia while offering pricing that encourages more renewable development and avoids any upward rate pressure and reliability impacts to Georgia Power customers. With this goal in mind, Georgia Power designed two avenues to continue to develop solar in Georgia: 1) offer existing Georgia Power customers additional options to sell distributed solar generation back to Georgia Power through small and medium scale solar purchase programs; and 2) offer solar developers the opportunity to bring large photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays to market through bidding into a utility-scale RFP.

Overview of the Programs

Distributed Generation Program – Small and Medium Scale GPASI programs

The Small and Medium Scale programs will seek 45 MW of projects in 2013 and 2014, with a target allocation of 11 MW and 34 MW respectively in each program. The Small Scale option, designed with residential and small commercial customers in mind, is for projects up to 100 kW. The Medium Scale option is for 101 kW up to 1 MW. Additionally, participants are limited to 20% (9MW) of program capacity in each year. Applications for the 2013 Small and Medium Scale programs were accepted from March 1 through March 11, 2013. Because the programs were oversubscribed a lottery was conducted on April 5, 2013 to determine projects to move forward with installation and commercial operation. Georgia Power expects that all projects will be brought online through these 2013 programs by the end of 2013. For more information, please visit our GPASI Small and Medium Scale webpage.

Utility Scale RFP Program

The Utility Scale program as part of the GPASI will issue Requests for Proposal (RFP) for the acquisition of 60 MW of solar generation capacity each in 2013 and 2014. On May 10, 2013, Georgia Power will issue its 2013 RFP for solar generation to be commercially operable by January 1, 2015. The Standards of Conduct for the 2013 Advanced Solar Initiative RFP prevent any communications regarding the RFP between interested parties and Georgia Power Company. Therefore, any inquiries should be submitted through the Q&A page on the Independent Monitor's website. Interest bidders can find out more information, presentation materials and submit inquiries through this website. The timeline for the 2013 GPASI Utility Scale RFP is as follows:

File draft RFP/comment period opens – Jan. 16, 2013
Bidder conference – Feb. 20, 2013
Comments received/due – April 5, 2013
Revised RFP and PPA Documents shared via IM site – April 12, 2013
Final draft RFP and PPA filed – April 25, 2013
RFP issued – May 10, 2013
Bids due for RFP – June 4, 2013
Short list determined – Sept. 13, 2013
Finalize PPA negotiations – Nov. 6, 2013
File PPAs and agreements for GPSC approval – Nov. 15, 2013
Required Commercial Operation Date – Jan. 1, 2015

Small and Medium Scale Application Information

View Details

GPASI Utility Scale Offering

For more information on the utility scale RFP and associated timeline, please visit the Independent Monitor's website.

Did you know?

Georgia Power recently completed the second phase of a three phase solar project in Murray County, Ga. for Dalton Utilities through a 25 year power purchase agreement. Read more about solar projects in Georgia.