Alright, let's get this straight. Alabama Power wants to "freeze" our rates for two years? Oh, how generous of them. Like they're doing us some kinda favor.
Smoke and Mirrors, Folks
Energy Alabama's John Dodd nails it: this ain't a rate reduction, it's a deferral. They're just kicking the can down the road, hoping we'll all forget about it by 2028. It's like saying you're "freezing" your debt by not paying it for two years. You still owe the money, genius!
And the timing? Conveniently right before election season. Dodd calls it a "victory lap" opportunity for commission members. You think that's a coincidence? Please. Alabama Power’s two year rate freeze is about politics, not people, nonprofit says Alabama Power's response? "Speculation about motives." Right, because massive corporations never have ulterior motives. Give me a break.
Here's the part that really gets my goat: they're gonna use customer refund amounts from Rate RSE—that's the thing where we get money back if they're over-profiting, remember that one?—to pad their Natural Disaster Reserve. Which, by the way, has a negative balance. So, they screw up, and we pay for it. Sounds about right.
The Data Center Elephant in the Room
And let's not forget the real reason behind all this: those shiny new data centers sucking up power like it's going out of style. Senator Katie Britt's worried about us "subsidizing the infrastructure investments needed to accommodate big tech." You think Alabama Power isn't gonna try to pass those costs onto us somehow? They'll find a way. They always do.
PSC President Cynthia Lee Almond says her "priority is clear: make sure our families and small businesses don’t get stuck with the bill.” That's what they all say. I'll believe it when I see it.
I mean, offcourse, the AG's office is "applauding" this decision. Easy to applaud when you're not the one sweating over the electricity bill every month.
Plus, this whole thing hinges on the PSC approving it on December 2nd. The possibilities? Approve, modify, reject, or table. Translation: they have absolutely no freakin' clue what they're doing.
A Glimmer of Hope? Or Just More Lies?
They're promising "internal cost containment measures." What does that even mean? Are they gonna start turning off the lights in the office? Maybe stop buying so much coffee? It all sounds like corporate jargon to me.
And the fine print: "severe storms, major natural disasters, fuel-market shocks, or other significant unforeseen events could force the company and regulators to revisit what’s ‘reasonable and appropriate.’” Translation: if anything even slightly inconvenient happens, all bets are off.
Georgia Power, Alabama Power's sister company, did the same thing. Advocacy groups there said it "locks in the company’s profit margin instead of passing along savings to customers." Shocking, I know.
But wait, maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe Alabama Power really does care about us. Maybe they're just trying to do their best in a difficult situation. Maybe pigs will fly.
So, What's the Real Story?
It's a scam. A carefully crafted PR move designed to make Alabama Power look like the good guys while they continue to bleed us dry. Don't fall for it.
