(The Center Square) – Georgia’s dependence on natural gas for electricity earned low marks on an energy affordability report.
The American Legislative Exchange Council’s Energy Affordability 2025 report ranks Georgia 35th out of the 50 states. The average cost of electricity per kilowatt-hour is 12 cents, according to the report, which looked at 2023 data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
“Although Georgia does not have a renewable portfolio standard nor is the state participating in a cap-and-trade scheme, Georgia ranks near the bottom in terms of energy affordability in large part due to an over-reliance on one fuel for electrical generation,” the report said. “With almost half of the state’s electricity generated using natural gas, ratepayers are on the hook for higher bills when the cost of natural gas rises.”
Georgia generates 47% of its energy from natural gas, followed by nuclear at 27%.
The report points to Plant Vogtle, a nuclear reactor in Waynesboro, as a reason for the higher energy costs. The project was often delayed and ended with a price tag of $7.5 billion, according to previous reports.
“While prices could have been lower if Georgia’s Vogtle nuclear generators had come online on schedule, the project slowed, and costs rose,” the report said.
Georgia is also susceptible to hurricanes, which lead to numerous power outages during the reporting period, the report’s authors said.
Wyoming has the lowest energy costs, followed by North Dakota, Idaho, Utah and Nebraska. Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire make up the bottom five, according to the report.
