EEFA Georgia Expands High-Quality Energy Efficiency Programs for Affordable Housing

This summer, the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) approved higher energy efficiency savings targets for Georgia Power, the state’s largest utility. This decision will directly benefit affordable, multifamily housing through increased funding for the utility’s low-income energy efficiency programs.

Energy Efficiency for All Partners (EEFA-GA), Georgia Watch, Southface, and Partnership for Southern Equity urged the PSC to increase energy efficiency budgets and expand the availability of high-quality energy efficiency programs serving low-and moderate-income Georgians.  The EEFA-GA coalition delivers healthy, safe, and efficient affordable housing by supporting the broader energy equity movement through policy advocacy, strategic community engagement, and energy efficiency program design. EEFA-GA is one of 12 state-based EEFA coalitions working to unite people from diverse sectors and backgrounds to collectively make multifamily affordable homes energy and water efficient.

With the support of testimony from national EEFA partners, National Consumer Law Center and the Natural Resources Defense Council, EEFA-Georgia successfully preserved the existing low-income energy efficiency programs developed as a result of EEFA partners’ participation in the 2016 IRP and increased Georgia Power’s contribution to low-income single-family offerings to $5.1 million and low-income multifamily offerings to $5.4 Million for the next three years, with the option to launch a fundraising campaign to add to the overall budgets.

The Georgia PSC also approved the continuation of Georgia Power’s automated benchmarking tool. The tool helps owners track the energy usage of their properties and make data-driven investments in energy efficiency.

In addition, EEFA-GA partners will continue to work with PSC staff and Georgia Power on the development of a $6 million tariff-based financing pilot to ensure the financing mechanisms help customers achieve deep energy and bill savings while protecting low-income owners and renters.

For more information about the EEFA-GA coalition, contact Dana Bartolomei (DBartolomei@nhtinc.org). To learn more about the national EEFA project, view EEFA's explainer video located here.