Georgia Power customers could see hike in energy bills starting next year

Georgia Power customers could see their electric bills go up by around $14 a month if the Public Service Commission approves a proposed rate hike.

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Georgia Power said it needs the money to make improvements to the electrical grid, but an advisory panel says the utility company doesn’t need to hike rates that much.

Channel 2′s Richard Elliot spoke to customers who had mixed feelings about paying more for their electric bills.

Christian Perez-Molina is a Douglasville Georgia Power customer who gets an electric bill every month.

Perez-Molina told Channel 2 Action News he doesn’t like the idea of a rate hike but said if it helps the environment, he’ll be ok with it.

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Georgia Power insists the environment is part of the reason it’s asking the public service commission for a 12% rate hike to raise $2.9 billion over the next three years.

Officials said they’d use the increase to improve the power grid, fix transmission lines and start to retire old coal-fired plants.

The utility’s CEO Chris Womack said in a statement, “This request reinforces our commitment to meeting those needs while continuing to provide clean, safe and reliable energy.”

The PSC will make its final decision on the rate hike proposal on Dec. 20.

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