US Georgia Power gets approval to buy 1.5 MW solar energy

(ADPnews) - Oct 7, 2010 - US local utility Georgia Power said on Tuesday it received regulatory clearance to buy the output of an exra 1.5 MW of solar capacity, almost doubling its solar energy purchase.

The utility, which is a unit of US power generator Southern Company (NYSE:SO), said it will buy the energy from installations with an installed capacity of less than 100 kW at USD 0.17 (EUR 0.123) per kWh.

Georgia Power also said it would issue a request for proposals (RFP) to purchase an additional 1 MW of solar power without limiting the size of installations. However, the purchase price will be USD 0.15 per kWh or lower.

Under a Premium Green Energy Programme, launched in 2006, the company offers customers to buy 100-kW power blocks of premium green energy, including 50% solar energy, for USD 5 per block, or standard green energy from biomass for USD 3.50 per block.

So far, some 4,200 customers have been involved to buy 3.8 million kWh of green energy under the programme. According to the utility, the premium green energy blocks have increased by 1,000 with the launch of 50% solar option, and expects a notable rise in solar purchases when it boosts the solar capacity to 5.4 MW.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.722)

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