Why States May Benefit from a Widespread CCA Energy Program

Author: Tula Larsen

Editors: Clara Conry and Sonya Doubledee

On November 4th, 2025, over 1.5 million Georgia residents went to the polls to vote in the Georgia Public Service Commission Election, where several issues were on the ballot. Georgia energy customers are concerned about the steady rise of electricity bills contributed by the rising necessity to provide for growing data centers. Vulnerable communities are at risk of being disproportionately impacted by the growth of these data centers. Luckily, Georgia Power’s 2025 Integrated Resource Plan sets goals to meet future energy demands. Georgia Power’s plan also sets strikingly high prices to achieve an energy savings target of 0.75% of its annual sales. The only alternative is cheaper but with little to no energy savings targets. These decisions leave customers with significant concerns over the  affordability of their energy, the efficiency of energy production, and the environmental impact of Georgia Power. However, other states propose solutions that address all three of these customer concerns.

Community Choice Aggregators, or CCAs, are programs that allow customers to purchase their electricity from localized energy companies, in place of forcing residents to purchase their electricity from larger, investor-owned utilities (such as Georgia Power). Unlike investor-owned utilities, which are for-profit energy companies that own the energy grid, consumers in certain districts may have the choice to buy energy from not-for-profit, localized energy companies. Local governments typically vote on the creation and implementation of a CCA and their integration into the existing energy grid. After CCAs are launched, funds are paid for by program revenues rather than taxpayer dollars, so consumers don’t receive a financial burden. CCAs are currently authorized in 10 states, and four states are actively investigating a CCA energy model. CCAs energy models tend to be more responsive to state environmental targets, yielding higher packages of clean and renewable energy. 

Georgia would benefit from allowing the growth of CCA energy companies across the state for several reasons, including the high potential for accelerating a statewide and national clean energy transition, the benefits of localized community programs, competitive rates, and the popular  opt-out programs.

CCA Potential to Accelerate the Clean Energy Transition

CCAs tend to choose a much higher percentage of green power, or power from renewable and clean energy sources, than a standard energy mix provided by larger investor-owned utilities. Several CCAs align their energy mix with the statewide greenhouse gas emission targets, and  since they hold the ability to pool their electricity resources are incentivized to purchase higher loads of clean energy. Several CCAs even go further than statewide renewable energy goals require. California CCAs, for example, procured 204% of the renewable energy required by the state between 2011 and 2019, and met California’s carbon-free metrics before their mandated deadline. Currently, Georgia Power’s energy mix is only 8% renewable energy, meaning that Georgia residents’ energy usage is dominated by fossil fuels. If approved in Georgia, Georgia residents would not be required to become CCA customers. Instead, Georgia customers would increase the autonomy in deciding the contents of their energy mix. The ability to choose a cleaner energy mix is a crucial step for Georgia to meet their unconditional 35% decrease in emissions reduction by 2030, as well as going a step further to meet their conditional 50-57% reduction goal by 2030. 

CCA Programs are Localized and Community-Focused

There are several benefits associated with a localized energy source rather than a large energy company. CCAs have potential to address the personalized energy needs of local communities, and are able to adjust energy rates according to community needs. CCAs often have specific power programs such as rebate programs and low-cost informational resources, which can stimulate the local economy and provide necessary local energy benefits. CCA companies can create targeted, localized job opportunities through contracting.  These localized rebate and subsidy benefits can notably address the needs of low-income and vulnerable communities that disproportionately struggle to finance electricity bills.

CCAs Have Flexible Opt-Out and Opt-In Choices

Out of the 10 states that employ CCA programs, six programs have opt-out provisions, and three programs have both opt-out and opt-in provisions. When a CCA is present to represent a city or municipality in states with opt-out provisions, residents or commercial companies are automatically enrolled in a CCA program, and they have the option to leave the program. In opt-in and opt-out program mixes, customers are not automatically enrolled in the program, but they have the option to join or leave the program. Customer choice to opt-in and opt-out of their desired energy choice is popular and beneficial, since it allows for customers to have greater choice and jurisdiction over their electricity rates and the mix of energy they use. The ability to opt-out of CCA programs also serves as an accountability measure for CCAs to ensure that their rates remain affordable, reliable, and clean. 

CCAs Have Competitive Rates

When CCAs have a surplus in revenues, they have the ability to lower their rates for customers and they often do. Since  CCA customers can opt out, lower rates can yield higher numbers of customers. California CCAs, for example, have rates that range from 3% to 6% lower than the rates of standard investor-owned utilities. CCAs also have better rate stability, as many are required to adjust their rates once per year. Competitive rates ensure that customers receive fair prices for their electricity.

Conclusion: What Is In It For Ratepayers?

During a long-lasting fight for affordable, reliable, and clean energy for customers under Georgia Power, the implementation of CCA programs would be a popular choice for Georgia ratepayers. Under a local energy program, the energy provider is held accountable to ensure a just procurement and delivery of energy to customers, and considering the holistic benefits of a CCA model, CCA programs are a fantastic way to ensure that the climate, local companies, and ratepayers benefit.