GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Most Georgia Power customers will soon pay more for electricity.
On Tuesday, state leaders approved an agreement to raise your rates.
Channel 2′s Richard Elliott attended that meeting in Gwinnett County.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Elliott learned the rate hike will cost the average customer close to $4 more each month than they were already paying.
Georgia Power hoped the increase would be closer to $14 per month.
They said the increase will help them make improvements to their electrical grid.
Georgia Power’s Brandon Marzo told commissioners that the six month long negotiation was tough.
“I will admit to you this has been one of the more passionate rate cases I’ve ever been involved in,” Marzo said.
TRENDING STORIES:
- ‘He did not deserve that:’ Friends remember Gwinnett County manager killed in road rage shooting
- Wind chill watch issued with concerns for hypothermia with arctic blast
- Georgia police looking for missing 23-year-old woman whose car was last spotted in Atlanta
Commissioners voted to approve the compromise.
Georgia Power wanted a $2.9 billion rate hike over three years.
The new agreement gives them $1.8 billion.
Georgia Power said the increase is needed for environmental reasons.
It will help them provide clean and reliable energy, while allowing them to retire old coal-fired plants.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Antoine Green is a Georgia Power customer.
He would prefer to avoid the increase, but is grateful that the compromise brought the price down.
“You know it’s going to happen,” Green said. “Nothing stays the same forever, so you know, when it happens, you just got to be prepared for it.”
The compromise does not expand Georgia Power’s solar pilot program.
Georgia Power said solar customers will see a temporary increase in credit.
IN OTHER NEWS:
This browser does not support the video element.