Presenters defend Georgias Territorial Act and joint transmission model as backbone of reliability and economic development

Representatives of Georgia’s electric membership cooperatives (EMCs), MEAG Power, Electric Cities of Georgia and Georgia Power told the Special Committee on Resource Management that the state’s Territorial Electric Service Act and the integrated transmission system (ITS) underpin reliability, customer choice for large industrial recruits, and long‑term system planning.

Chris Stevens, president and CEO of Calaway Defade EMC, told the committee that Georgia’s Territorial Act, passed in 1973 and created after extensive legislative review, divides the state into service territories and eliminated costly and unsafe duplication of distribution facilities. ‘‘The Territorial Act does three basic things,’’ Stevens said: it ensures ‘‘reliable, safe and affordable electricity,’’ avoids duplication of facilities and enables long‑term planning for providers serving defined territories.

How the system is organized: EMC speakers said Georgia has roughly 41 distribution electric cooperatives (serving roughly 4.4 million Georgians and most of the state’s land area),…