Secrets of Renewable Energy: The Real Truth Robert B. Baker Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP bbaker@fmglaw.com
Renewable energy options are more cost competitive with traditional forms of generation when looking at the total cost of generation Subsidies Everybody gets them Rising costs of traditional generation Legislative and regulatory barriers to competition Facts and Myths Regarding Renewable Energy
Nuclear Coal Gas Solar Wind Biomass Capital costs Per kw $8750 $7410 $1750 $5500 $3000 $5600 Fuel costs Per kwh $0.009 $0.047 $0.032 $0 $0 $0.032 Base load Capacity Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Peaking load Capacity No No Yes Yes Yes No Capital and fuel costs
Nuclear Coal Gas Solar Wind Biomass Waste Disposal Yes Yes No No No Yes Water for Cooling Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Carbon Emissions No Yes Yes No No Yes Greenhouse Gas emissions No Yes Yes No No Yes Environmental costs
Some industries are more heavily subsidized than others nuclear is very heavily subsidized by taxpayers and ratepayers Subsidies come in many forms: investment tax credits, accelerated cost recovery, government guaranteed insurance, limited regulatory oversight, etc. Let he who is without subsidies cast the first stone
Georgia Nuclear Energy Financing Act Senate Bill 31 (2009) 6.4362% of gross monthly bill Pre-collecting $1.7 billion in financing charges and profit Collecting $258.6 million in 2012 Financing charges collected in 5 years which would normally be collected over 60 years Nuclear industry subsidies
Price-Anderson Act Limits plant owners liability Plant owners pay $375 million annually for private insurance covering offsite liability In case of catastrophic damages liability is limited to $111.9 million assessed on each of the 104 licensed plants U.S. taxpayers pay for all damages above $12 billion Nuclear industry subsidies
Construction of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 Emission and environmental control construction projects mandated by new federal environmental regulations The costs of replacement generation for retired coal plants The average residential and commercial customer is paying over 14 cents a kwh The rising costs of traditional electric generation
Westinghouse AP 1000 units Each unit will generate 1,100 MWs Estimated completion in 2016 and 2017 Georgia Power (45.7%), Oglethorpe Power (30%), MEAG (22.8%) and the City of Dalton (1.5%) Projected cost is $14 billion ($6.1 billion for Georgia Power) Georgia Power customers pre-paying $1.7 billion in financing charges (SB 31) Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4
Vogtle Units 1 and 2 original cost estimate of $660 million for 4 units with final cost of $8.9 billion for 2 units Vogtle Units 3 and 4 are 7.5 months behind construction schedule and possibly $875 million over budget at this time First lawsuit filed by Westinghouse and Stone & Webster for $58 million for site preparation work and backfill material Consumers are 100% liable for all costs including cost overruns Vogtle cost overruns and delays
Implementation of Federal Maximum Available Control Technology (MACT) rule effects all coal plants 3 coal units retired in 2012 Integrated Resource Plant (IRP) case (Docket 34218) 2013 IRP case will include additional retirement of coal generation plants Construction of emission control bag houses at 7 coal plants will cost $2 to $3 billion Emission control projects
2005 - $194 million (Docket 18300) 2008 - $321 million (Docket 25060) 2010 - $1,152 billion (Docket 31958) Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 $6.1 billion?? Emission control expenses of $3 billion for coal plants and $500 million annually for coal ash disposal 2013 Georgia Power rate case - $1billion?? Residential customers pay 18.4% of their gross monthly bill for surcharges (NCCR, ECCR, DSM) Georgia Power rates have steadily increased since 2005
Georgia law currently: Limits the development of distributed and renewable energy Prohibits financing of renewable energy projects by third parties Permits additional charges on renewable energy by utilities Legislative barriers to competition
Distributed and renewable energy is priced at the utility s avoided cost Bids for solar RFP s are accepted on a first-come basis rather than least cost No net metering tariff No feed-in tariff Regulatory barriers to competition
Pass Senate Bill 401 which removes artificial legislative barriers to the development of renewable energy Price distributed and renewable energy at retail or peaking rates not avoided cost Create a seasonal renewable energy rate which recognizes the peaking value of renewable energy Continue tax incentives Allow net metering Goals for the future
Robert B. Baker Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP bbaker@fmglaw.com 770-818-4240