Current Programs

Programs that promote insulation, weather stripping, double-pane windows and doors and energy efficient appliances are common at Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) throughout Georgia.
     In addition, Georgia’s EMCs have promoted load management programs that have resulted in the placement of more than 144,000 radio-controlled switches on air conditioners, water heating, irrigation equipment and other devices to help reduce electrical load during hours of peak demand.  These systems, taken together, represent a combined value in 2007 dollars of more than $14 million. 
     Load management switches provide the EMCs with the capability of reducing peak electrical load by about 135 megawatts (MW), thus eliminating the need for that same amount of power to be produced or procured elsewhere. 
     All told, the promotion of demand management, energy conservation and energy efficiency programs by the state’s EMCs produced more than 28,500,000 kilowatt-hours of energy savings in 2007.  That is enough energy saved to power nearly 2,400 homes, about the size of a small city in Georgia. 

     Recently, the 38 Member Systems began an initiative to develop a coordinated, statewide program to encourage energy efficiency and conservation among EMC consumers. This effort, involving OPC, the Member Systems, Georgia EMC and Green Power EMC, aims to reduce future EMC electric load requirements by expanding participation in new and existing energy efficiency programs. Still, Georgia’s growth will require that additional power generating facilities be built along with an aggressive energy efficiency and conservation program.