Customer Choice

Customer choice offers most new and expanding businesses the opportunity to choose their power supplier in a competitive environment. That means a business can select its power supplier based on reliability and cost. It also ensures Georgia companies are satisfied in a competitive environment.

What Makes It Possible

When the state legislature passed the Georgia Territorial Electric Service Act of 1976, it assigned exclusive service areas for connected loads under 900 kW. It also enabled most customers with connected loads over 900 kW to choose their power supplier.

So, if you're locating a new facility or expanding in Georgia, you may be able to select your power supplier. In Georgia, it's often possible to choose between three power supply alternatives: one of Georgia's 42 locally managed and consumer owned Electric Membership Corporations, an investor owned utility or municipality.

What Makes It Practical

This competition is made cost-effective through an agreement among Georgia's major power suppliers that established joint ownership of the state's transmission lines and substation facilities. The agreement formed the Integrated Transmission System (ITS).

This shared ownership of the ITS eliminates costly duplication and guarantees that each supplier has the ability to serve a customer choice facility.

Why It's Important

Having the right power supplier is crucial, especially if your operation is energy intensive. Even if it isn't, your power supplier can still have a major impact on production efficiency and profitability. And once you choose your supplier, it's permanent.

So, when you're looking at alternatives, evaluate their quality of service, reliability, load management incentives, and current and future rate structures closely. And take advantage of your power choice.