Nuclear plant cost bill OK’d

A House of Representatives subcommittee has given preliminary approval to a bill allowing Georgia Power to charge customers in advance for the cost of future construction of a nuclear power plant.

The House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications panel approved the bill (SB 31) in a voice vote.

The bill, one of the more controversial pieces of legislation this session, now moves to the full committee, which will take it up on Monday. The subcommittee heard more than 3 hours of testimony over two days before sending the bill forward.

The utility wants to construct a new nuclear plant near Augusta. It is seeking permission to begin charging its costumers in 2011 for the expected costs of that construction. The plant is tentatively expected to open in 2017.

The legislation seeks to bypass the Public Service Commission, which ordinarily would have the power to decide the issue.

—- Aaron Gould Sheinin

Transportation board seats won

On Thursday, the same day the state’s top three elected leaders backed a plan to take power from the state Transportation Board, state legislators held elections for three board seats.

Chairman Bill Kuhlke and Board Member Brandon Beach won re-election to their seats. For the third seat, legislators chose one of their own, Rep. Bobby Parham (D-Milledgeville). Parham replaces Raybon Anderson, who resigned, saying the job took too much time. Each of the 13 board members represents a congressional district and is elected by the state representatives and senators who represent a portion of that district.

—- Ariel Hart

Proposals advance to fund by taxing

The House Transportation Committee on Thursday unanimously passed a pair of measures for statewide transportation funding. The proposal, introduced by House Transportation Committee Chairman Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain), would allow a referendum on a statewide one-cent sales tax for transportation projects. The long list of transportation projects in the bill cost more than the tax would raise, but Smith said federal funds could help fund them. The state Senate is considering a separate proposal that would allow multi-county regions to form and tax themselves for transportation projects.

—- Ariel Hart