The Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee yesterday approved four amendments to Senate Bill 2 – which would authorize Georgia’s Electric Membership Corporations to offer broadband internet services to their customers.
The first amendment ensures that EMCs will not subsidize broadband services to their customers through their electric service revenues. The amendment, proposed by Sen. Kennedy and seconded by Sen. Jeff Mullis, allows EMCs to establish an affiliate to provide the service but requires them to adhere to cross-subsidy rules.
The third amendment establishes the Georgia Public Service Commission as the venue for complaints related to compliance, cross-subsidization and providers, including oversight and dispute resolution.
It also allows EMCs to lease dark fiber, provide service through an affiliate but prohibits subsidizing the affiliate with electric service revenues. EMCs will be allowed to serve customers with electric power, assistance with energy efficiency and conservation, and provide and operate broadband for its own use, and may lease broadband to other entities that seek to provide broadband service to retail customers. However, EMCs would be prohibited from requiring customers to obtain electric service in exchange for broadband access.
The fourth amendment, proposed by Sen. Cowsert, would require FCC rates and regulations for attaching to EMC poles, and would provide for an additional $3 per pole collected by the State of Georgia to help fund broadband expansion, failed, 8 – 3.
