Albany Utility Board sets rates for alternate energy customers

ALBANY — The Albany Utility Board approved a rider Thursday morning that specifies rates for possible distributed generation energy customers who may become metered customers of the utility.

Assistant City Manager Stephen Collier said the policy allows the city utility to collect applicable fees from customers who may utilize alternative energy sources, such as solar or wind.

“This is something we’ve been looking at for well over a year, and our wording pretty much goes along with what ECG (Electric Cities of Georgia) is doing all across the state,” Collier said. “The rider provides a rate schedule for customers who use alternate energy sources, but still (partially) utilize our services.”

Director of Utility Operations Jimmy Norman said the rider keeps traditional energy customers from having to pay for DG customers’ usage.

“What we tried to do is make sure we have a rate structure in place that makes it fair and equitable for everyone,” Norman said. “It would not be fair for our electric customers to have to pay for usage by (DG customers) when they’re on our grid.”

Utility Board member Sam Snead emphasized that the rider does not indicate a new fee imposed by the utility.

“Some people will look at this and say we’re raising rates, but this is applicable only to customers who use alternative energy sources,” he said.

The board also approved a new utility customer service policy that Collier said is really not new.

“We have a process in place, but we did not have a written policy,” the assistant city manager said. “This covers such things as our pay schedule and medical priority policies.”

Ironically, customer Velma Robinson had come before the board earlier to make a customer service complaint.

“I want to point out that, in defense of our organization, the young lady said that her lights had never been cut off,” board member Gary Sanders said. “She had issues with fees, but her service has not been interrupted.”

City Manager Sharon Subadan said the utility must temper humanitarian efforts with good business practices.

“As a utility of this city, we are not heartless, we go out of our way to try and meet our customers’ and our citizens’ needs,” she said. “But this is a business.”

Subadan also told the board the city’s four new compressed natural gas buses have been delivered and are expected to start making runs next week.

“The (Colonial) pipeline disruption emphasized for us that having alternate fuel sources is a good thing,” the city manager said. “These new CNG buses are very attractive, and you should be seeing them out and about in short order. We said when we first started looking at this issue — and I still feel — that CNG is a great investment for us. Over the course of a year, you’ll start seeing the savings.”

City Transportation Director David Hamilton said after the meeting that Transit drivers are currently acclimating themselves to the new buses.

“Basically, the only major change is the fuel intake with the CNG,” Hamilton said. “Once our folks get comfortable with the buses, we expect to get them out on the road. We’re looking at possibly Tuesday of next week.”

The city manager also recognized members of the Utility Board line crew who volunteered to help the city of Thomasville restore power to its customers in the aftermath of Hurricane Hermine recently.

“We’d like to publicly thank these guys for the work they do,” Subadan said. “Saturday morning, Friday night, weekends … they’re the ones who keep us lit. And while we do appreciate the work they do, now I have to send them back to work.”