Alabama Public Service Commission greenlights more large-scale solar  

MONGOMERY, Ala.—The Alabama Public Service Commission issued a decision late Wednesday allowing Alabama Power to greatly expand the amount of renewable energy resources on its system, which will bring more large-scale solar development to the state.  

The PSC approved a 480% increase in Alabama Power’s renewable capacity, authorizing the utility to increase its renewable generation certificate program to 2,400 MW, a sizeable increase from the 500 MW capacity the PSC authorized in 2015. Citing customer demand and economic benefits, Alabama Power requested the increase after the success of the original program, resulting in eight solar energy projects that exhausted all but 10 MW of the original request.  

“Alabama Power’s request to expand its renewable energy portfolio underscores the overwhelming appetite for clean energy, like solar, here in Alabama,” said Christina Andreen Tidwell, Senior Attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center. “While the Commission should improve transparency and make solar energy more accessible to all customers, including families and small businesses, we support this decision to bring more clean, renewable energy.”

 “Investing in more solar projects will bring big economic benefits and new jobs to Alabama.  Those benefits would grow, along with opportunities to save money on monthly electric bills, if Alabama Power brought more renewable energy into its resource mix for all customers,” said Alabama Environmental Council’s board chair Pat Byington.  

This announcement represents a much-needed step toward Alabama Power’s parent company, Southern Company’s net zero goal for greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Alabama ranks 34th in the nation for total solar installed, with only 578 MW of solar power on-line. The state significantly lags behind neighboring Georgia, which produces 5,033 MW of solar energy.    Last year, the average residential Alabama Power customer paid about $16 a month more because of increased fuel costs. Investing in renewable resources like wind and solar will alleviate the energy burden Alabamians face as the cost of methane gas continues to rise.