ISSUES PAGE

Affordable Utility Rates
The PSC is mandated by law to strike a balance between the desire of ratepayers to keep utility rates low and the interests of utility shareholders to earn a fair return on their investment. While the PSC has some control over the basic service rates charged by utilities, the high energy prices we have been paying are the result of not having a comprehensive energy strategy in this country. We have to maintain a balanced energy supply and avoid being subject to the market instability of one fuel commodity. Congress needs to support more natural gas exploration and LNG production and offer tax incentives in partnership with the private sector. While I support efforts to increase energy production from renewable sources, I do not support major subsidies or the so-called "polluters tax" on emissions produced by our energy companies. By some estimates this tax would result in an increase on our utility bills of between 60-150%. Moreover, such a tax would be regressive and harm our lower income consumers.

Energy Production
I support the construction of additional nuclear reactors in Georgia. The PSC must weigh the proposals against other power generation alternatives, but I believe nuclear energy is the best way to produce energy while lowering carbon emissions from fossil fuels. While I am in favor of additional natural gas exploration, I also want to be sure we are balancing our energy portfolio and not relying on one fuel source to accommodate our energy needs. On the federal side, Congress needs to approve the Yucca Mountain Repository to handle spent fuel storage while safe alternatives are refined for using the spent fuel. Georgia ratepayers have already paid over $1 billion toward this common sense solution and have nothing to show for it. We also need to find ways to harness the wind and sun in states where it makes sense without penalizing states, such as Georgia, where those options are not feasible under existing technology.

Energy Infrastructure
Our challenge is not only ensuring ample energy supply, but making sure we have the infrastructure in place to sufficiently deliver energy to meet our growing demand. Electric rates all across the country have risen because many states lack the infrastructure to support demand. Georgia enjoys a more stable environment and rates are still lower than the national average because we have been very conservative in our planning and have invested in infrastructure. If I am honored to represent the people of Georgia at the PSC, I will work to ensure the capacity of our electric and gas transmission networks are reviewed regularly. I will also work to find ways to grow our LNG imports and enhance LNG storage and transportation facilities to expand use of this fuel source.

Environmental Controls
In the last ten years, Georgians have invested several billion dollars in emission controls. These actions have allowed us to increase energy capacity while also cutting air pollution. I will support investment in additional environmental controls. I will also support efforts to convert older coal plants to newer technologies, such as bio-generation using renewables. An older coal plant in Albany, Georgia, for instance, is being converted to use wood waste, which I support.

Conservation
I support cost efficient renewable programs. Although it is important to offer incentives to promote use of renewables in power generation, I prefer not to use ratepayer dollars to subsidize large scale renewable programs when the cost far exceeds conventional methods. Instead, I support federal efforts to explore a cap-and-trade system that would set limits on carbon emissions and then allow the private sector to create low-cost compliance options to profit from low emission technology. These market incentives will energize our researchers, corporations and entrepreneurs to find the innovation needed to clean our air and continue to grow our economy.

I would also expand use of a technology that is already proven but not utilized as much as it should be - Smart Meters. Also referred to as real-time pricing, these meters identify consumption in more detail than conventional meters. Knowing electricity pricing usually peaks at predictable times of the day and season, which usually also coincides with higher smog levels, these meters reward consumers by pricing energy lower during low-cost periods. Instead of running the laundry machine in the heat of the day, consumers would have the option of being sent pricing in advance to know when the best time is to run their appliances. I would like to see these pilot programs on a larger scale here in Georgia.