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Power bills set to drop
SAWNEE EMC
Sawnee EMC worker Brandon Pinheiro shovels dirt around a pole that has just been installed by his crew near Matt Highway. - photo by Jim Dean
Sawnee EMC is giving power to the people — for less.

Beginning with next month’s bills, Sawnee EMC customers will notice a drop in their electric bills.

“We’re very excited to be giving our members this break for the remainder of 2009,” said Blake House, spokesman. “It’s been a rough year on everybody and any kind of cost decrease for the next several months will be welcomed news for everybody.”

Customers will see a reduction of $12.24 per every 1,000 killowatt hour of energy used through the remainder of 2009.

On average, House said, residential customers use about 1,500 kWh per month.

“Of course, a lot of homes in Forsyth County are a lot larger and use a lot more,” he said.

Based in Cumming, the electric membership corporation serves more than 147,000 accounts in seven counties in north Georgia.

Georgia Power, which also serves Forsyth County, does not plan any rate adjustments, a company spokesman said Thursday.

House said Sawnee EMC’s decrease was made possible by the company’s decision to reduce its wholesale power cost adjustment by 50 percent. The cost adjustment is a factor by which members are billed.

While a customer’s use will dictate savings, House said there will also be a shift down from summer to winter rates, which are about 30 percent less.