Emily Bosch emily.bosch@sierraclub.org
Ricky Leroux ricky.leroux@sierraclub.org
ATLANTA, GA -- Today, the Sierra Club is announcing the release of its Report Card that evaluates Georgia Power’s 2022 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), a proposal that will guide energy production in the state for the next 20 years.
Sierra Club graded Georgia Power’s proposal on seven categories, including Commitment to Climate Action and Pollution. The criteria used for evaluating the proposal include time frame, environmental justice, affordability, and other concerns.
The full list of grades can be found here.
The next set of hearings for the IRP process will begin on May 24 with testimony by intervening parties, including environmental advocacy organizations, industry interests, and some Georgia municipalities. The Sierra Club is one of 18 intervenors. Atlanta, Decatur, Savannah, DeKalb County, Fulton County and Athens-Clarke County have joined together and intervened for the first time on behalf of their 2.1 million residents. The Georgia PSC livestreams hearings each day.
For more background on the IRP process and what it involves, read our explainer blog to learn more.
Charline Whyte, senior campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Georgia, issued the following statement:
“We hope that our report card will help the general public interpret and understand Georgia Power’s complex energy proposal. The IRP impacts the lives of everyday Georgians profoundly, but the process is complicated and it’s difficult for folks to engage meaningfully. We wanted to help close that gap.
“Georgia Power got an F for pollution because it plans to burn coal beyond 2028, store toxic coal ash in unlined pits, and rely on fracked gas. All of these things directly threaten the health of our environment and our communities. The report card can also help us hold Georgia Power and the Public Service Commission accountable to protecting public health and the environment.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.