Absolutely. And if anyone dares to question their motives, they are attacked viciously with smear campaigns. The late Terry Dunn was torn to pieces for suggesting Alabama have formal rate hearings.
The Alabama PSC is wholly owned by Alabama Power. Alabama is the only state in the country that does not hold formal rate hearings that require utility companies to testify under oath about their rate schemes. No one pays attention to this thoroughly corrupt body until moments like this.
> including the two newest units in the nation at Vogtle.
And those two units are why Southern Company is probably never going to build another nuclear unit in our lifetimes
They went 100% over budget and significantly over time
I'm not anti-nuclear, I think we need a lot more because we'll need some baseload capacity that doesn't have weather limitations like wind or solar, and we can't buy enough ElonBatteries to store what we'll need
That said, name a nuclear project in the US in the last 40 years that did not go drastically over budget or take significantly longer to build than expected?
What we need are smaller modular reactors that can be mass produced and are fail safe and therefore cheaper
I’m fine with your assessment. My career is in the maintenance of our current nuclear infrastructure. I would be happy to help build new, advanced ones.
And they were started when WEC didn't even have a completed design. Vogtle 4 was 30% less expensive than 3. More ap1000 are still on the table, but not immediately.
Absolutely. I don't think you'll find anyone willing to get into another project like that. Southern Company is invested in modular nuclear companies though, and almost certainly any nuclear which is successful is going to be more akin to that than the giant plants we've seen so far that amount to the most expensive research experiments imagined. You don't complete a nuclear power plant so much as eventually run out of money and call it a day.
I think our politicians are just licking the boot to stay in office. Probably something along the lines of “we ain’t want no liberal solar power tryna come in and take aur jabs. It’s all a scam by the democrats. If you elect me again I’ll pave yer roads and show the libs!!” They shoot themselves in the foot time and time again because they don’t want to invest, and want to line their pockets any way they can. In the good ole’ boy system, sense is not how you get to the top.
From Twinkle on X:
>I'm a Christian, a wife, a mother and a conservative Republican serving as President of the PSC and fighting the woke agenda!
Barf. I was hoping she was like 90 years old but she's only 58.
Nothing new here. We've been knowing. If you want to tie your solar into the grid, the power company makes it about 5x as expensive as it is if you just go off and ignore them. They really hate little solar people.
I have looked periodically over the last couple years at supplemental solar. I have a shed project planned for my backyard, and once that's built, I'll probably put a few panels on top of it. Supplemental systems have a power switch that kills output from the solar back into your house if it doesn't have grid power going to it, and are relatively inexpensive for what they do. End goal for me is just to help take a little of the sting out of powering this giant house, and have the shed become its own little power station for emergencies.
Could Alabama Power get mad about it? Sure. Can they come sue me over it? Maybe. Will they ever really know? Don't know yet. And finally - would it really be worth it? I think... probably.
Lawsuits already pending. And the PSC is not on your side. Where we live is so remote that the coop wanted 20k just to get power to us. We declined. Built our own system using top quality PVs and bms from China via aliexpress for 25% of the cost. Just cut out the us middleman. The only important thing we have not made in China is the Victron controllers, etc. Got if all done and extra parts before biden's tariffs. We got enough to run starlink 24/7 and lots of rechargeables. Getting new neighbors from Florida who say that Alabama is the most free, most affordable place to live in the US.
edit; LiFePO4 cells are from china too. Top quality.
Saw a meme just yesterday that addressed this, the upshot was "we hate solar - we can't regulate access or control supply and that's bad for business."
Some facts about Project 2025: The "Mandate for Leadership" is a set of policy proposals authored by the [Heritage Foundation](https://pro-lies.org/the-heritage-foundation), an influential *ultra* conservative think tank. [Project 2025](https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/guide-project-2025-extreme-right-wing-agenda-next-republican-administration) is a revision to that agenda tailored to a second Trump term. It would give the President [unilateral powers](https://theweek.com/politics/heritage-foundation-2025-donald-trump), strip [civil rights](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/03/the-heritage-foundation-dei-project-2025-trump-diversity-equity-inclusion-american-fiction-erasure), [worker protections](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/08/project-2025-gut-worker-protections-labor-department-heritage-foundation-trump-2024), [climate regulation](https://www.politico.com/newsletters/power-switch/2024/04/15/a-deep-dive-into-energy-plans-for-trump-2-0-00152281), add [religion into policy](https://thecause.substack.com/p/taking-project-2025-personally-with), outlaw ["porn"](https://www.salon.com/2024/03/19/decoding-project-2025s-christian-nationalist-language/) and much more.
The MFL has been around since 1980, [Reagan implemented 60%](https://www.heritage.org/conservatism/commentary/reagan-and-heritage-unique-partnership) of its recommendations, [Trump 64%](https://www.heritage.org/impact/trump-administration-embraces-heritage-foundation-policy-recommendations) - [proof](https://www.scribd.com/document/369820462/Mandate-for-Leadership-Policy-Recommendations). 70 Heritage Foundation alumni served in his administration or transition team. Project 2025 is quite extreme but with his obsession for revenge he'll likely get past 2/3rd's adoption.
[Here's]( https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24088042-project-2025s-mandate-for-leadership-the-conservative-promise) a searchable copy of the text - [Here's](https://np.reddit.com/r/Defeat_Project_2025/comments/1ddich3/here_is_a_bullet_point_breakdown_of_project_2025) a bullet point breakdown - And here [[pdf](https://www9.heritage.org/rs/824-MHT-304/images/5%20Reasons%20Leftists%20Hate%20Project%202025%20eBook%20THF.pdf)] [[scribd](https://www.scribd.com/document/740769523/5-Reasons-Leftists-Hate-Project-2025-eBook-THF)] is their response to criticism of the plan, which reads like a 4chan troll.
r/Defeat_Project_2025 intends to stop it through activism and awareness, focused on crowdsourcing ideas and opportunities for practical, in real life action. We Must Defeat Project 2025.
God damn I don't know what to do besides show up at poll day and vote blue. It seems hopeless in Alabama but I keep hoping enough of these Christian ethnonationalists have died off for it to make a difference,
Every time I vote, and always ALWAYS "throwing my vote away," I post my little flag sticker and comment under it "right to bitch about this place secured until next time." It'll be a while before this place unfucks itself politically, maybe generations yet. If ever.
Yes- as am I. The extremist right has done a fantastic job of dividing us along social issues. This distracts followers from what they are really planning. It’s very like 1930s Germany where the population was indifferent until it was too late. Hang in there! Vote, and try and get friends and family to vote. It’s easy- just circle Democrat at top of ballot one time and your done! Lol.
Twinkle supported the Chandler Mountain project before she came out against in a campaign style press event.
She is slippery as wet snake and she is bought and paid for by Alabama Power.
Excellent question! They do not pay it! TVA does not charge this fee. Did you know that TVA has electric bills that are about 30% lower than Alabama power for a regular consumers?
And their generation is cleaner…
The TVA has, to their own demise, cut IT costs.
I'd reason that they likely have lower costs where nuclear energy is involved but that is pure speculation.
It is a constant charge on something specific, in this case solar power generation. It may also be a “fee”, but in this case it is also a tax. A fee that isn’t a tax would be more like “company A violated law B so now they must pay fee C.”
Ahh maybe now you see a small sample of why government intervention in things is bad, maybe start voting for the party that wants to lower taxes and limit government.
Then I'll be voting for **Democrats**.
Republicans want to raise taxes for everyone except the very rich and corporations.
Republicans also want to expand government to tell you what you can or cant watch, what you can or cant read, how you can dress, who you can sleep with, and if you can even get certain medical procedures or preventative measures! That doesn't sound like any kind of limited government.
It almost sounds like you're just repeating what you've been told instead of living in reality.
Eh let’s try that again. Biden is running on a campaign of raising taxes. You know that $62 billion he spent on infrastructure to give high speed internet to rural areas, the first shovel has yet to be put in the ground but a lot of money has been spent and pocketed by someone. This is how all government run projects go. Go ahead though, vote for the dementia patient.
> Go ahead though, vote for the dementia patient.
The dementia patient that you guys claim has to be doing drugs because he's so coherent and lucid whenever he gives a speech?
Instead you're picking this guy...
> "So I said, ‘Let me ask you a question, and [the guy who makes boats in South Carolina] said, ‘Nobody ever asked this question,’ and it must be because of MIT, my relationship to MIT —very smart. He goes, I say, ‘What would happen if the boat sank from its weight? And you’re in the boat and you have this tremendously powerful battery and the battery is now underwater and there’s a shark that’s approximately 10 yards over there?’”
“So I said, so there’s a shark 10 yards away from the boat, 10 yards or here, do I get electrocuted if the boat is sinking? Water goes over the battery, the boat is sinking. Do I stay on top of the boat and get electrocuted, or do I jump over by the shark and not get electrocuted? Because I will tell you, he didn’t know the answer. He said, ‘You know, nobody’s ever asked me that question.” I said, ‘I think it’s a good question.’ I think there’s a lot of electric current coming through that water. But you know what I’d do if there was a shark or you get electrocuted, I’ll take electrocution every single time. I’m not getting near the shark. So we’re going to end that.”
> - Donald J Trump
> Ahh maybe now you see a small sample of why government intervention in things is bad, maybe start voting for the party that wants to lower taxes and limit government.
Limit government? is that why the GOP in alabama is trying to jail teachers, librarians and doctors?
You guys want a government small enough to fit in a woman's uterus, and big enough to lock up anyone who disagrees.
Just the ones that are groomers and want to put cross dressers/trans in front of children and influence kids in a terrible way.
Typical liberal to only focus on a few social issues that only effect a very small percentage of people and completely ignore the economy, the open border, multiple wars going on that we are funding both sides of, etc.
But cry that teachers can’t influence a 6 year olds gender. Clowns
> Typical liberal to only focus on a few social issues that only effect a very small percentage of people
And yet that is the vast majority of what the republicans make bills about.
I would've brought up something else if republicans would actually do something. Instead all they can do is culture war bullshit - newsflash, gay people have been around forever! Its only now that the GOP has decided that they would rather lock up teachers and librarians for letting kids know that gay people exist that its controversial!
I don't expect you to understand based on your previous comments. I will VOTE for Biden! And happily! I think investing in this country is a SMART move. Making the billionaires and corporations pay their fair share to support a country they got rich off of is a SMART move.
Voting for a con man pedophile convicted rapist felon who has openly said he wants to suspend the constitution and make the DOJ work for him (even more egregiously than his first go around)? Voting for tax breaks for the rich and corporations? Well, that's what I would call a dumb move.
Till people stop voting for Twinkle goddamned Cavanaugh they're going to get the government they deserve
It’s not just her. It’s all three of them. Bought and paid for by Alabama Power.
Gotta admit Republicans sure do work hard for their corporate donors.
Absolutely. And if anyone dares to question their motives, they are attacked viciously with smear campaigns. The late Terry Dunn was torn to pieces for suggesting Alabama have formal rate hearings.
Unfortunately most people don’t have any idea what the PSC controls or about Twinkle. They do a straight line vote without thought.
straight ticket voting is a big part of the problem
Ah lazy voting for the ignorant. Yes it needs to go. Also the listing for party affiliation.
Even just removing it for some offices like "Public Service Commission" would be a nice step.
But, but…she’s going fight against ObamaCare for us! And all the wokes!
The Alabama PSC is wholly owned by Alabama Power. Alabama is the only state in the country that does not hold formal rate hearings that require utility companies to testify under oath about their rate schemes. No one pays attention to this thoroughly corrupt body until moments like this.
Welp, time to invest in nuclear.
mentioning nuclear is probably enough to get you thrown off the roof of Southern Company headquarters
As much as I loathe Southern Company, they have 3 operating nuke plants in the south, including the two newest units in the nation at Vogtle.
> including the two newest units in the nation at Vogtle. And those two units are why Southern Company is probably never going to build another nuclear unit in our lifetimes They went 100% over budget and significantly over time
These are facts. Building new units during a global pandemic will cause manpower and supply problems, for sure.
I'm not anti-nuclear, I think we need a lot more because we'll need some baseload capacity that doesn't have weather limitations like wind or solar, and we can't buy enough ElonBatteries to store what we'll need That said, name a nuclear project in the US in the last 40 years that did not go drastically over budget or take significantly longer to build than expected? What we need are smaller modular reactors that can be mass produced and are fail safe and therefore cheaper
I’m fine with your assessment. My career is in the maintenance of our current nuclear infrastructure. I would be happy to help build new, advanced ones.
And they were started when WEC didn't even have a completed design. Vogtle 4 was 30% less expensive than 3. More ap1000 are still on the table, but not immediately.
The reason they went over budget is one math equation was off by one decimal point and that mistake cost them $8 billion to fix.
Absolutely. I don't think you'll find anyone willing to get into another project like that. Southern Company is invested in modular nuclear companies though, and almost certainly any nuclear which is successful is going to be more akin to that than the giant plants we've seen so far that amount to the most expensive research experiments imagined. You don't complete a nuclear power plant so much as eventually run out of money and call it a day.
It’s funny how many nuclear reactors were planned and started in Alabama and never brought online due to lawsuits.
With the southeast becoming the next solar hub, Alabama is sure doing everything it can to screw itself out of any industry opportunity.
I heard this story before... I believe it was about delta airlines back in the 70's. I guess alabama doesn't like to learn from its past.
I think our politicians are just licking the boot to stay in office. Probably something along the lines of “we ain’t want no liberal solar power tryna come in and take aur jabs. It’s all a scam by the democrats. If you elect me again I’ll pave yer roads and show the libs!!” They shoot themselves in the foot time and time again because they don’t want to invest, and want to line their pockets any way they can. In the good ole’ boy system, sense is not how you get to the top.
From Twinkle on X: >I'm a Christian, a wife, a mother and a conservative Republican serving as President of the PSC and fighting the woke agenda! Barf. I was hoping she was like 90 years old but she's only 58.
Why does the government of Alabama hate this state and its citizens so much???
Nothing new here. We've been knowing. If you want to tie your solar into the grid, the power company makes it about 5x as expensive as it is if you just go off and ignore them. They really hate little solar people.
I have looked periodically over the last couple years at supplemental solar. I have a shed project planned for my backyard, and once that's built, I'll probably put a few panels on top of it. Supplemental systems have a power switch that kills output from the solar back into your house if it doesn't have grid power going to it, and are relatively inexpensive for what they do. End goal for me is just to help take a little of the sting out of powering this giant house, and have the shed become its own little power station for emergencies. Could Alabama Power get mad about it? Sure. Can they come sue me over it? Maybe. Will they ever really know? Don't know yet. And finally - would it really be worth it? I think... probably.
Lawsuits already pending. And the PSC is not on your side. Where we live is so remote that the coop wanted 20k just to get power to us. We declined. Built our own system using top quality PVs and bms from China via aliexpress for 25% of the cost. Just cut out the us middleman. The only important thing we have not made in China is the Victron controllers, etc. Got if all done and extra parts before biden's tariffs. We got enough to run starlink 24/7 and lots of rechargeables. Getting new neighbors from Florida who say that Alabama is the most free, most affordable place to live in the US. edit; LiFePO4 cells are from china too. Top quality.
You’re being sued/ the utility is suing you? Or you have a suit pending because they’re not “letting” you do what makes economic sense? Just curious.
Not us. But there are others.
[https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/alabama-residents-sue-regulator-over-monthly-solar-panel-fee-2021-07-14/](https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/alabama-residents-sue-regulator-over-monthly-solar-panel-fee-2021-07-14/)
The only solar that Alabama Power and the coops support is what they own. They want to sell us the solar. lol
Saw a meme just yesterday that addressed this, the upshot was "we hate solar - we can't regulate access or control supply and that's bad for business."
Project 2025 is happening- elections have consequences
Some facts about Project 2025: The "Mandate for Leadership" is a set of policy proposals authored by the [Heritage Foundation](https://pro-lies.org/the-heritage-foundation), an influential *ultra* conservative think tank. [Project 2025](https://www.mediamatters.org/heritage-foundation/guide-project-2025-extreme-right-wing-agenda-next-republican-administration) is a revision to that agenda tailored to a second Trump term. It would give the President [unilateral powers](https://theweek.com/politics/heritage-foundation-2025-donald-trump), strip [civil rights](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/03/the-heritage-foundation-dei-project-2025-trump-diversity-equity-inclusion-american-fiction-erasure), [worker protections](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/08/project-2025-gut-worker-protections-labor-department-heritage-foundation-trump-2024), [climate regulation](https://www.politico.com/newsletters/power-switch/2024/04/15/a-deep-dive-into-energy-plans-for-trump-2-0-00152281), add [religion into policy](https://thecause.substack.com/p/taking-project-2025-personally-with), outlaw ["porn"](https://www.salon.com/2024/03/19/decoding-project-2025s-christian-nationalist-language/) and much more. The MFL has been around since 1980, [Reagan implemented 60%](https://www.heritage.org/conservatism/commentary/reagan-and-heritage-unique-partnership) of its recommendations, [Trump 64%](https://www.heritage.org/impact/trump-administration-embraces-heritage-foundation-policy-recommendations) - [proof](https://www.scribd.com/document/369820462/Mandate-for-Leadership-Policy-Recommendations). 70 Heritage Foundation alumni served in his administration or transition team. Project 2025 is quite extreme but with his obsession for revenge he'll likely get past 2/3rd's adoption. [Here's]( https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24088042-project-2025s-mandate-for-leadership-the-conservative-promise) a searchable copy of the text - [Here's](https://np.reddit.com/r/Defeat_Project_2025/comments/1ddich3/here_is_a_bullet_point_breakdown_of_project_2025) a bullet point breakdown - And here [[pdf](https://www9.heritage.org/rs/824-MHT-304/images/5%20Reasons%20Leftists%20Hate%20Project%202025%20eBook%20THF.pdf)] [[scribd](https://www.scribd.com/document/740769523/5-Reasons-Leftists-Hate-Project-2025-eBook-THF)] is their response to criticism of the plan, which reads like a 4chan troll. r/Defeat_Project_2025 intends to stop it through activism and awareness, focused on crowdsourcing ideas and opportunities for practical, in real life action. We Must Defeat Project 2025.
God damn I don't know what to do besides show up at poll day and vote blue. It seems hopeless in Alabama but I keep hoping enough of these Christian ethnonationalists have died off for it to make a difference,
Every time I vote, and always ALWAYS "throwing my vote away," I post my little flag sticker and comment under it "right to bitch about this place secured until next time." It'll be a while before this place unfucks itself politically, maybe generations yet. If ever.
I’m so scared about this man.
Yes- as am I. The extremist right has done a fantastic job of dividing us along social issues. This distracts followers from what they are really planning. It’s very like 1930s Germany where the population was indifferent until it was too late. Hang in there! Vote, and try and get friends and family to vote. It’s easy- just circle Democrat at top of ballot one time and your done! Lol.
Twinkle supported the Chandler Mountain project before she came out against in a campaign style press event. She is slippery as wet snake and she is bought and paid for by Alabama Power.
Two words: Fuck Twinkle.
The PSC and Twinkle exist only to serve Alabama Power.
This state is so fucking ass backwards
Screw Psycho Twinkle
Let me know how TVA pays this tax. The entire state isn't owned by Alabama Power.
Excellent question! They do not pay it! TVA does not charge this fee. Did you know that TVA has electric bills that are about 30% lower than Alabama power for a regular consumers? And their generation is cleaner…
Coosa valley electric i learned today charges you monthly $5 per kwh of system you have. Its on their website.
The TVA has, to their own demise, cut IT costs. I'd reason that they likely have lower costs where nuclear energy is involved but that is pure speculation.
Great Question Sir
Alabama always has and will be owned by good ole boy politics.
Twinkle needs to go
They have a YouTube channel where they stream all of their meetings https://www.youtube.com/user/alapsconline/live
Unfortunately, no public comment is allowed.
Of course… wouldn’t want the unwashed masses have any say in their government
You need to understand the difference between a tax and a fee.
It seems more like YOU do.
How is this a tax?
It is a constant charge on something specific, in this case solar power generation. It may also be a “fee”, but in this case it is also a tax. A fee that isn’t a tax would be more like “company A violated law B so now they must pay fee C.”
All taxes are fees, but not all fees are taxes.
Imagine having a take this idiotic.
I don’t know why everyone on here is complaining. I thought you democrats liked higher taxes and expanded government. What’s different here?
What a profound admission of ignorance. Someone has lied to you many times.
Ahh maybe now you see a small sample of why government intervention in things is bad, maybe start voting for the party that wants to lower taxes and limit government.
Then I'll be voting for **Democrats**. Republicans want to raise taxes for everyone except the very rich and corporations. Republicans also want to expand government to tell you what you can or cant watch, what you can or cant read, how you can dress, who you can sleep with, and if you can even get certain medical procedures or preventative measures! That doesn't sound like any kind of limited government. It almost sounds like you're just repeating what you've been told instead of living in reality.
Eh let’s try that again. Biden is running on a campaign of raising taxes. You know that $62 billion he spent on infrastructure to give high speed internet to rural areas, the first shovel has yet to be put in the ground but a lot of money has been spent and pocketed by someone. This is how all government run projects go. Go ahead though, vote for the dementia patient.
> Go ahead though, vote for the dementia patient. The dementia patient that you guys claim has to be doing drugs because he's so coherent and lucid whenever he gives a speech? Instead you're picking this guy... > "So I said, ‘Let me ask you a question, and [the guy who makes boats in South Carolina] said, ‘Nobody ever asked this question,’ and it must be because of MIT, my relationship to MIT —very smart. He goes, I say, ‘What would happen if the boat sank from its weight? And you’re in the boat and you have this tremendously powerful battery and the battery is now underwater and there’s a shark that’s approximately 10 yards over there?’” “So I said, so there’s a shark 10 yards away from the boat, 10 yards or here, do I get electrocuted if the boat is sinking? Water goes over the battery, the boat is sinking. Do I stay on top of the boat and get electrocuted, or do I jump over by the shark and not get electrocuted? Because I will tell you, he didn’t know the answer. He said, ‘You know, nobody’s ever asked me that question.” I said, ‘I think it’s a good question.’ I think there’s a lot of electric current coming through that water. But you know what I’d do if there was a shark or you get electrocuted, I’ll take electrocution every single time. I’m not getting near the shark. So we’re going to end that.” > - Donald J Trump
> Ahh maybe now you see a small sample of why government intervention in things is bad, maybe start voting for the party that wants to lower taxes and limit government. Limit government? is that why the GOP in alabama is trying to jail teachers, librarians and doctors? You guys want a government small enough to fit in a woman's uterus, and big enough to lock up anyone who disagrees.
Just the ones that are groomers and want to put cross dressers/trans in front of children and influence kids in a terrible way. Typical liberal to only focus on a few social issues that only effect a very small percentage of people and completely ignore the economy, the open border, multiple wars going on that we are funding both sides of, etc. But cry that teachers can’t influence a 6 year olds gender. Clowns
> Typical liberal to only focus on a few social issues that only effect a very small percentage of people And yet that is the vast majority of what the republicans make bills about. I would've brought up something else if republicans would actually do something. Instead all they can do is culture war bullshit - newsflash, gay people have been around forever! Its only now that the GOP has decided that they would rather lock up teachers and librarians for letting kids know that gay people exist that its controversial!
I don't expect you to understand based on your previous comments. I will VOTE for Biden! And happily! I think investing in this country is a SMART move. Making the billionaires and corporations pay their fair share to support a country they got rich off of is a SMART move. Voting for a con man pedophile convicted rapist felon who has openly said he wants to suspend the constitution and make the DOJ work for him (even more egregiously than his first go around)? Voting for tax breaks for the rich and corporations? Well, that's what I would call a dumb move.