During testimony before Georgia’s Public Service Commission Georgia Power, which powers most of Georgia’s electric grid contended that Georgia Solar Utilities plan to integrate up to 500 megawatts of solar would raise ratepayers’ rates. However, Georgia Solar Utilities is working to develop projects that wouldn’t raise rates or would put downward pressure on rates in the peach state.

“We would like to look at the numbers further and look at solar in a way in Georgia that could lead to a lowering of electric rates,” said Georgia Solar Utilities spokesperson Tim Alborg. “We believe we can bring solar on in Georgia in a way that leads to a rate reduction or puts downward pressure on rates.”

The commission is currently holding hearings related to Georgia Power’s plans for future electric generation, which include closing or converting 15 coal-fired power plants to natural gas, essentially reducing 2.1 gigawatts of generating capacity, which is being replaced by the first new nuclear facilities in the U.S. in decades, slated for completion in 2017. It’s anticipated that the commission could make a decision as soon as July 11.

But the plans are missing something. “Right now GA Power has no additional solar resources planned in the IRP [i.e., integrated resource plan],” explained Georgia Solar Utilities spokesperson Tim Alborg.

Georgia Solar Utilities has intervened in the planning hearings, according to Alborg. “As the intervener, we’re hoping to get some solar added to the energy mix for Georgia for the next couple of decades,” he said.

“Our proposal asks for an additional 500 megawatts of solar to be added,” Alborg said. That would include a large, utility-scale photovoltaic array on fallow, former farmland, particularly in Putnam County, which will lose revenue and jobs if Georgia Power’s plans to shutter a coal-fired power plant there.

Alborg said that the proposed project already has a site identified for the project with a place to tie-in to the grid. “There’s a definite impact with the closure of these plants on the surrounding communities, We’re looking to help some of these communities put more solar on the grid and do it in a way that helps rural Georgia,” he said.

The commission may chose to have Georgia Power integrate more solar. “What you have in Georgia is you have a PSC with five conservative Republican commissioners that wants to do solar in an way that doesn’t increase electric rates,” Alborg said. “They want to do it in a way that works for Georgia and its citizens,” he said.