Energy Efficiency

The Georgia Public Service Commission recently approved Georgia Power's 2007 Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines how the company will meet customers' demand and energy requirements in an economic and reliable manner.

This plan identifies a need for new or replacement generation capacity over the next 10 years of more than 8,000 megawatts.

The plan also calls for about 1,900 to 2,200 megawatts in demand-side management and energy efficiency programs to reduce demand for electric energy. One thousand megawatts is about the same amount of capacity produced from a large coal, nuclear or natural gas-fueled power plant even though a MW of demand side management does not save as much energy over a year as a MW of coal or nuclear produces over the same time period. For example, a nuclear plant will run as a baseload plant all year long, but a high efficiency air conditioner program only provides energy reductions and benefits during the cooling season.

Georgia Power will invest $43 million annually in 18 different demand response and energy efficiency programs, including six new programs recently approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission.

In total, the company will invest almost $500 million over the next 10 years on demand-side programs. These programs provide customer benefits, cost-effectiveness and ensure reliability.

The need for additional electric power over the next 10 years is expected to be met with a combination of about 7 to 11 percent energy efficiency and demand-side options, 4 to 7 percent renewable generation sources, 71 to 78 percent natural gas-fueled generation, and 11 percent nuclear generation.

Over the past two years, through promotion of the Change a Light campaign, Georgia Power has distributed more than 220,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs to Georgia consumers who have pledged to change at least one standard light bulb in their home to a compact fluorescent bulb.

As a leader in the nation for ENERGY STAR Change a Light pledges, Georgia Power received the 2007 and 2008 Excellence in ENERGY STAR Promotion Award.

Georgia Power still needs to add generation resources to meet Georgia's growing demand for energy. Georgia is one of the fastest growing states in the nation, requiring the addition of about 1,000 megawatts a year in additional electricity generation resources.

While Georgia Power continues to invest substantially more in cost-effective energy efficiency programs, there is not enough energy efficiency potential to eliminate the need for all additional generation resources.

2007 Georgia Power Energy Audits:

• More than 4,000 on-site residential energy audits.
• More than 1,700 self-conducted online residential energy audits (via georgiapower.com).
• More than 860 commercial and industrial energy audits.

ENERGY STAR Appliances