Georgia Magazine - September 2011 - (Page 16)

Georgia’s energy outlook BY HEATHER TEILHET, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE, GEMC Clean Energy Reality Check Series, Article No. 8 Reality check: Nuclear energy dure is called “economic dispatch.” Oglethorpe’s portfolio of fuels, when measured by capacity (using 2010 ﬁgures), includes 19 percent nuclear, 23 percent coal, 12 percent hydro and 46 percent natural gas. However, Oglethorpe’s portfolio of fuels, when measured by energy, is 41 percent nuclear, 44 percent coal, 11 percent natural gas and 4 percent hydro. While the EMCs’ energy portfolio already includes a large percentage of emissions-free nuclear energy, Oglethorpe’s projections indicate an increase of even more nuclear power into the mix over the near future as new nuclear units begin commercial operation (see Vogtle Units 3 and 4 on page 17). EMCs’ diverse mix of generating resources (2010)* 12% 23% 19% ENERGY Gas Nuclear Coal Hydro * Represents resources owned, leased or operated by Oglethorpe Power. A s GEORGIA Magazine’s Clean Energy Reality Check series nears an end, we shift our focus to a vital, large-scale producer of emissions-free energy: nuclear power. The 4.5 million Georgia residents whose homes and businesses are powered by an electric membership corporation (EMC) receive their energy through a diverse portfolio of power supply resources. Nuclear power plays a major role in the low cost of energy for EMC members. In Georgia, 39 of 42 EMCs get a majority of their energy from assets owned by Tucker-based Oglethorpe Power Corp., while three co-ops, TriState, North Georgia and Blue Ridge Mountain EMCs, are electricity distributors in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) network. The energy that lights many Georgians’ homes and powers most farmers’ poultry houses and irrigation pumps starts with the EMCs’ wholesale electricity provider, Oglethorpe Power (or TVA, as noted above). Oglethorpe has a diverse $7.5 billion portfolio of power generation assets. 46% CAPACITY 4% 11% 41% 44% Advantages to nuclear power Nuclear energy is recognized by many leaders in business and by conservation advocates as the best hope for meeting the ever-increasing demand for power in the United States in an environmentally responsible manner. When compared with alternative fuel sources, such as solar, wind and biomass, nuclear stands out—especially in terms of scale and reliability. Capital and construction costs notwithstanding, nuclear ranks among the lowest in fuel costs. Nuclear is also the most reliable energy source. Industrywide, plants operate at an average of 91 percent capacity. (The only reasons nuclear plants can’t operate at 100 percent capacity are refueling outages, forced outages and routine maintenance.) Nuclear plants remain the primary large-scale, emissions-free producer of energy in the world today. Nuclear resurgence in the U.S. Even though nuclear is an affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible energy source, a resurgence of the nuclear industry in the United States requires extraordinary effort in ‘Capacity’ vs. ‘energy’ Electric utilities measure their power supply portfolio annually in two ways: “capacity” and “energy.” Capacity is the maximum potential for energy generation based on a given plant’s design for a speciﬁc fuel source. Energy is the actual amount of power generated by each electricity generation plant. To provide the lowest cost and most reliable energy, electric utilities dispatch speciﬁc generation resources to the grid, layering the sequence of output with the lowest fuel-cost units ﬁrst; the next lowest cost is brought on-line as demand expands and contracts during a typical day’s usage pattern. This systematic proce16 Where does our nation’s electricity come from? (measured in energy by fuel source) 7% Hydro 3% Renewables 21% Nuclear 22% Gas Solar (1%) Wood (9%) W Geothermal (13%) Other Biomass (14%) Wind (63%) 46% Coal 6% 0.9% Oil 0.2% Other 2009 Renewable Generation Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration More online at www.georgiamagazine.org GEORGIA MAGAZINE http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - September 2011

Georgia Magazine - September 2011
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar of Events
Currents
Georgia’s Energy Outlook
A Bountiful Harvest
The Coupon Mom
A Spirit of Cooperation
The 2011 Washington Youth Tour
Georgia’s Higher Learning
Higher education listings
Around Georgia
Ramble around Dahlonega continues
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Vince Dooley’s tips on growing hydrangeas, more on artist Steve Penley
Georgia Cooks
Second helping: More apple recipes and fall apple festivals
Snapshot
More Snapshot submissions
Money-saving websites
Gardens plant of the month; Liberty notes
Energy-efficiency tips

Georgia Magazine - September 2011