Contact: nn Ecl*s 

Phone:404-463-0214 

WNW.psc.state.ga.us 

For Immediate Release 

Georgia Public Service 

Commission 

244 Washington St S.W. 

Atlanta, Georgia 30334 

Phone:4~1 

Toll fnee:1- 800-282-5813 

Fax: 404-658-2341 

51-14 

MEDIA ADVISORY 

Commissioner Tim Echols Media Availability 

When: 10:10 a.m. July 29,2014 

Where: Outside Conference Room 

Omni Hotel 

North Tower, M4 

I 00 CNN Center 

Atlanta, Georgia 30339 

ATLANTA- July 28, 2014 - Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols will be available for 

interviews following his remarks at the Environmental Protection Agency hearing at the Omni 

Hotel on July 29,2014. Contact Commission Public Information Officer Bill Edge to coordinate 

interviews at 404-406-5120 or bille@psc.state.ga.us. 

Echols prepared remarks, embargoed until 10 a.m. July 29,2014, are attached below. 

Remarks to EPA by Commissioner Tim Echols 

Embargoed for July 29, 2014 

We're one of only 12 states that elect our energy regulators, and all five of us on the Public Service 

Commission face the voters every six years. All five of us have great concern about this rule. I'm 

here today to tell you that Georgia has made enormous progress with air quality, and it is my hope 

that the proposed rule will be withdrawn. Since 2008, within the Georgia Power system, our C02 

is down 30%, Mercury and N02 are both down 85%, and So2 is down 90%. 

We have 411 CNG buses in Atlanta's bus fleet, and we're the #I market in America for the Nissan 

Leaf. We're also the fastest growing solar state in the country. By the way, we've done all this 

without a Renewable Portfolio Standard, without this rule in question today-all the while 

maintaining competitive rates. We've made great progress, but this rule will force us to strand 

assets and raise energy prices. 

In 2005, 60% of Georgia Power's generation was coal. Today, it is 26%. In 2005, we had only 3% 

of our generation powered by natural gas, and today it is almost 30%, a ten-fold growth. We're 

building two new reactors. It was just in February when Commissioner McDonald and I sat with 

President Obama's climate advisors, at their invitation, in the White House where we were told 
that without a substantial growth in nuclear power, the President's Clean Energy goals could not 

be met. Yet this rule doesn't send the signals to trigger the enormous investment required to do 

what we are doing here in Georgia. 

I don't have to tell you all that the country's nuclear fleet is under economic stress. The same low 

cost natural gas that has allowed us to fuel-switch coal has made nuclear power less competitive as 

well--especially in FERC jurisdictional markets and wind corridors. 

Nuclear generation is undervalued in the marketplace. States needs to join Georgia and South 

Carolina in recognizing the importance of the nuclear fleet and adopt policies that will allow them 

to develop reactors like we are. Unfortunately, this rule does not go nearly far enough. In fact, the 

new rule will most likely make us even more dependent on natural gas. A simple calculation 

illustrated recently by FERC Commissioner Norris demonstrates that the county's gas-fired fleet 

already emits more C02 than our 2050 target. 

Therefore, it seems paramount that any rule must substantially incent new and existing nuclear, far 

more than the proposed rule does. This rule's evaluation of the cost and impact of new 

requirements assume that Vogtle 3 and 4 adds $0 to Georgia's C02 reduction efforts. 

This rule assumes that the Georgia Public Service Commission and Plant Vogtle co-owners did not 

consider the cost of carbon when we certified Plant Vogtle as a carbon-free emitting resource. 

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, our on-going monitoring of this plant continues to 

consider the cost of carbon. But you can bet that cost is not $0, as the rule assumes. 

In January during the polar vortex, natural gas prices soared, especially in New York and New 

England. One New York plant operator told me that it was cheaper to bum oil than natural gas 21 

of the 3! days of January. 

We've built a model here in Georgia that provides flexibility so that we can use the most cost 

effective fuel source at any time. Under this rule, that will be over. 

We've gone to great lengths to create a diverse portfolio to protect our ratepayers. This rule 

unravels all the planning we have done for the last 20 years. 

Under this rule, a good economy becomes our enemy, and a polar vortex could trigger a substantial 

fuel cost increase. 

Under this rule, we ignore the impact and cost to ratepayers of the 3000 MW of coal that will be 

retired by 20!5. 

Under this rule, the EPA would have us abandon another 3900 MW of fossil generation without 

regard to the $5 billion invested to install environmental controls. 

Under this rule, our energy policy is set by you, and not by our elected officials who represent our 

citizens. 

Any rule created by the EPA should allow me to do my job. 
Things are on the right track here in Georgia. This rule bypasses the federal and state legislature, 

ties the hand of the Governor, and usurps my authority given by the constitution of the state of 

Georgia. 

So, in the spirit of democracy, please withdraw this rule. 

Commissioner Echols is in his fourth year on the Georgia Public Service Commission, having been 

elected statewide in November, 20 I 0. His complete biography and photo are found on the 

Commission web site at bltJ:l:1\\_':.,_"Jl_sc .stat~.g;l.\l_>;:ns"'inhd>ios 'ecjw_b_.~~J;>"'tah=Tat~. 

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