Business

Flint Energies Joins Deal to Deploy Large Utility-Scale Solar Power System in Taylor County

Submitted by Jimmy Autry, Flint Energies Sr VP Member and Community Relations

Wednesday, December 17th, 2014, 3:42pm

REYNOLDS/BUTLER, GA-Flint Energies, together with Cobb EMC and Sawnee EMC, will purchase the entire power output of a 131-megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) solar project to be constructed outside of Butler, Georgia. The electric membership cooperatives inked the deal with Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power.

Southern Power selected First Solar to be the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the facility. Construction of the plant is scheduled to begin in September 2015, and the project is expected to achieve commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2016.

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Submitted by Jimmy Autry, Flint Energies Sr VP Member and Community Relations

Thursday, October 23rd, 2014, 1:05pm

REYNOLDS/PERRY/WARNER ROBINS/COLUMBUS-Proposed government regulations are expected to be extremely challenging for Flint Energies member bills, according to Chief Executive Officer Bob Ray.

“Since 2008, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has generated at least nine new regulations which attempt to reduce coal-fired generation for power plants,” said Ray. “Just two of those regulations have already cost Flint members $105 million.”

“These regulations essentially prevent construction of future coal generation plants,” he said. “The new ‘Clean Power Plan’ which has been proposed gives Georgia no credit for already reducing emissions since 2005, sets targets for renewable energy and efficiency which will cost more than they save, calls for more natural gas generation but no more gas pipelines to get the gas into Georgia….and effectively destroys affordable energy for our members.”

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Submitted by Jimmy Autry, Flint Energies Sr VP Member and Community Relations

Thursday, October 23rd, 2014, 1:03pm

REYNOLDS/PERRY/WARNER ROBINS/COLUMBUS-Flint Energies undertakes constant effort in emergency preparedness throughout the year, but several events in October have sharpened the skills of the cooperative’s employees, according to Sr Vice President Jimmy Autry.

“Each year, we plan a tabletop exercise where employees come to a meeting room expecting to see a disaster that needs a response,” said Autry. “It’s part of the inside joke is to call the tabletop event “Hurricane Jimmy” since I invent the challenge for our team.”

This year, employees gathered to respond to the multiplying disaster of tropical force storm winds, flooding rains and a security breach into the Warner Robins Service Center location. As the event unfolds, a disaster team of employees that is assigned leadership on the spot evaluates the needs and calls upon resources to respond.

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