"Many call me the Energizer Bunny of Georgia politics because I seem to be everywhere. I don 't mind the teasing because I do seek to serve the entire state as this is a statewide elected position. Why should I sit in an Atlanta office waiting on people to find me? I created the Clean Energy Roadshow in 2011 to educate consumers on alt-fuel. I started the UnHoly Tour to help educate officials about the blight that is human trafficking. I started and lead the EV Braintrust to keep EV leaders up to speed on the latest innovation in EV models and charging technology. I put solar thermal and solar PV on my homes. I have had six electric vehicles, a natural gas Honda and F150, and a propane van--not all at the same time of course. I do believe in living the technology though. I have been called the solar architect of Georgia. I received the Innovator of the Year award in 2021 for customer education. With your help, I can continue this work."
TIM ON THE ISSUES
Reliability
Reliability and price matter too. Keeping Georgia's energy rates low is a top priority. Low rates mean more businesses want to locate here. Low rates mean that families can use their hard-earned money for other things. And low rates mean that the least among us can live a better life. How do we do it? By keeping a diverse mix of fuel at our plants to hedge against price spikes. By developing new carbon-free technologies. And by having creative rates that incentivize people and companies to use energy over night when we have a surplus.
Trade Jobs
I am honored to have received the endorsement of North America’s Building Trades Unions and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers here in Georgia. Our Craft Labor plays a very important role at many of our plants. As we close coal units, we need to think about other emerging technologies like SMRs to transition our work force to. These are great jobs, and the training from the Unions are second to none. It is time our society stops treating kids who want to go into the “trades” as second-class citizens. College education may be for some, but it’s not for all.
Solar
This is a south Georgia solar field just outside of Bainbridge. The way we have grown solar in GA has benefited farmers, developers, and especially poorer counties in our state, who benefit from the enormous tax revenue these arrays produce. When I took office, we had a minuscule amount of solar in 2010. Now, we are seventh in the nation. It was my motion at the PSC that created net metering. I led the way to create the first highway right-of-way solar array east of the Mississippi River. It was my action that created the community solar programs at Georgia Power. All this without a subsidy and without a legislative mandate. California, are you listening?
Utility Accountability
Holding utilities accountable is part of my job on the Georgia Public Service Commission. It is part of the regulatory compact created by our founding fathers in this state. I have worked hard for over a decade to make sure ratepayers' interests are represented. Sometimes that has meant forcing the utility to create solar programs like I did with net metering or utility scale solar. Georgia is blessed to have energy rates well below the national average, but it doesn't happen by accident. I'll continue to move our state forward with programs that make sense.
Plant Vogtle
Plant Vogtle Unit #4 is in commercial operation. I believe that nuclear energy makes sense in a day when baseload coal and gas plants are disappearing around the country. I knew that Georgia businesses would benefit from the clean energy and additional capacity. I knew that our citizens valued reliability and forward-thinking. I knew it matters for America too. Continuing our project kept the U.S. from forfeiting its leadership in nuclear energy is a worthy objective. As other states have decommissioned reactors without replacing them, the world has begun looking to nations like China and Russia. The only way for America to continue setting international standards for nuclear safety and security is to invest in reactors and technology. We have done that in Georgia. China is anxious to export its technology around the world, locking countries into long-term, reciprocal trade relationships that hurt U.S. interests, jobs and exports. Georgia's solar can provide daytime power, but we need our nuclear plants at night to fulfill our obligation. My concern all along has been the waste disposal and making sure we do the right thing for coming generations. I hope I live to see a day in America when we reprocess spent fuel turning it into a sustainable resource.
Human Trafficking
It was my honor to recently be recognized for my fight against sex trafficking here in Atlanta. Inspired by William Wilberforce, I created the Unholy Tour Project, which takes legislators to the roughest parts of our city. The tour highlights sex trafficking in particular and focuses on solutions and the organization offering those solutions. My hope is that legislators are able to gain a clearer understanding of this heinous problem that is a blight on our state. See the coverage from CBS46 here. http://www.cbs46.com/clip/12257557/sex-trafficking-tour
