James_Sept-Oct_2025_web - Flipbook - Page 61
very state in America has a chance to
participate in the
energy economy
and to contribute
to American Energy Independence. Some states are
slow to seize that opportunity, but
Georgia is making the most of it by
advancing new nuclear power, a
rapidly growing solar power and an
energy storage fleet. Partnered with
traditional natural gas resources,
these new investments are ensuring
a steady supply of affordable, reliable, and abundant electricity.
The state’s energy leadership is
attracting major employers, fueling
private investment, creating jobs in
communities large and small, and
delivering lower-cost energy that
benefits families and businesses
alike. Most importantly, by producing Georgia electricity from Georgia resources, ratepayers’ energy
dollars stay at work in the state’s
economy instead of flowing endlessly to build the wealth of energy
providers elsewhere.
This state has become an economic leader and beacon of prosperity by combining common
sense with innovation and
forward thinking. That combination
is exactly what we’re seeing today in
Georgia’s energy sector. By building a
diverse mix of energy resources— including nuclear, natural gas, and lowcost renewables like solar power—
Georgia is strengthening its growing
economy and creating opportunities
in every corner of the state.
Too often, energy policy debates in Washington and elsewhere pit one fuel source against
another. That’s a short-sighted and
costly mistake. Georgia’s success
is rooted in an “all-of-the-above” approach, which embraces traditional
strengths while welcoming new
technologies and investment. The
strategy is sound because the more
tools available in the energy toolbox, the stronger and more resilient
the energy system will be.
For Georgia’s farmers, cattlemen, and other landowners, the
growth of utility-scale solar projects
has been tremendously beneficial.
Hosting solar farms adds another
revenue stream that can help keep
a family farm in operation
for future generations. Solar lease
payments provide steady, predictable, generational income, helping
families weather volatile commodity
prices and unpredictable weather. That means more stability for
agricultural communities, more tax
revenue for rural counties, and more
funding to support schools, roads,
and public safety.
Across Georgia, solar projects
with long-term power contracts are
delivering millions of dollars in direct
payments to landowners and generating consistent tax revenue for local
governments. For many rural areas
that have never had the resources
they need to provide a great education for their kids or to improve local
public safety or transportation, this
is positively transformational.
The affordable, low-emission energy produced by these projects is
now one of Georgia’s most powerful
tools for attracting new industries.
Companies making billion-dollar location decisions know that low-cost
and predictable long-term energy
contracts are essential to
their success. They also
know that energy
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