Electric bills will rise next week




Georgia Power customers will see their bills bumped up next week.

An increase in the base rate is set to go into effect in April and will amount to about $2.46 for the average residential customer using about 1,000 kilowatt hours, according to company spokesperson Mark Williams.

The higher rate is part of a three-phase rate increase that was approved back in 2010 by the Georgia Public Service Commission. The revenue generated is helping pay for two new natural-gas fueled combined cycle units at Plant McDonough, which is being converted from a coal-fueled plant. The first of the increases was tacked on in January 2010, and the last rate increase to pay for a third new unit at Plant McDonough will go into effect next year.

Bills increased a bit this past January, when customers were charged an additional 38 cents to help cover financing costs for the two new nuclear units at Plant Vogtle. The nuclear construction cost recovery (NCCR) tariff kicked in last year and bills will continue to increase each January for the next three years under the plan, Williams explained. The total impact of the Vogtle financing on bills will be about $8.54 for the average residential customer. Williams said no other increases are expected to affect customer bills this year.



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