PSC okays Ga. Power rate hike request

ATLANTA - Georgia Power customers will see an increase in their monthly bills starting next month.

The Georgia Public Service Commission Tuesday morning approved a $873 million rate hike request, according to a report in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Under the plan, residential customers will pay about $2.19 more on a monthly bill in 2014. The bill amount will go up an additional $3.61 in 2015 and then rise another $2.96 in 2016.

Initially, the state's largest utility had wanted a $1.46 billion rate hike, which would have included fees for those customers who installed solar panels at their homes and businesses. The utility agreed to remove that portion of the request after negotiations with PSC staff and others opposed to the idea.

Georgia Power said the additional funds from the increased rates will pay for pollution equipment on its coal-burning power plants and improvements to technology.