Georgia Magazine - July 2013 - (Page 17)

in Georgia and established stronger recordkeeping procedures to track sales and sellers. Sellers of metals now must have their driver’s license photocopied, their vehicle tag number recorded and their photo taken when making a transaction at a recycler. One year in, the initial results are encouraging, particularly when contrasted with the data collected prior to the law’s implementation. GTC, for instance, saw a decrease of more than 57 percent from July through December 2012 when compared to the same timeframe in 2011. “Recyclers in Georgia have realized this is a huge problem, not only in our state, but also across the nation,” says Bentley Carter, safety manager with Satilla Rural EMC in Alma. “They have a sense of how serious this issue is, and they’ve felt it from the political realm, from our law enforcement agencies and from the utilities who are dealing with it each day.” Swann notes that myriad factors, such as the price of copper, are working in concert with the legislation Ground wires stolen from these voltage regulators to help reduce the number at a Georgia Transmission Corp. substation created of metals theft incidents. A a safety hazard for co-op workers as well as added more collaborative approach expenses for EMC members. GEORGIA TRANSMISSION CORP. The theft of metals, such as copper, causes a ﬁnancial headache for the state’s utilities, but ultimately it was concern for employees’ safety that brought together a broad-based coalition to tackle the problem. “For utilities, the safety issues of stealing ground wire are too big to ignore because it creates incredibly hazardous conditions for our employees,” says Lee Swann, lead investigator for Georgia Transmission Corp. (GTC) in Tucker. “We can always buy more copper, but our most valuable resources are our employees.” Last year, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation that greatly enhanced metals theft laws ‘For utilities, the safety issues of stealing ground wire are too big to ignore because it creates incredibly hazardous conditions for our employees.’ —Lee Swann, Georgia Transmission Corp. among law enforcement ofﬁcials and utilities investigators has yielded a streamlined process to respond more effectively to the crime. “Previously, you didn’t have utility companies addressing metals theft as an organized effort,” Swann says. “When the problem started to grow in 2008, the foundation was laid for increased cooperation between the utility investigators and law enforcement, and now we’re at a place where that communication and collaboration is producing results.” Most indications suggest the legislation, coupled with a series of more proactive steps taken by the utilities and law enforcement, is yielding positive results. And that’s welcome news for the state’s electric membership corporations and Georgia Transmission. Public Service Leadership Award July 2013 More online at www.georgiamagazine.org MARGE ELY Georgia Public Service Commission Chairman Tim Echols, right, accepted the Public Service Leadership Award on behalf of the state of Georgia from National Energy Marketers Association President Craig Goodman at the 16th Annual National Energy Restructuring Conference in Washington, D.C., in April. “For 16 years now, Georgia has provided a competitive marketplace for natural gas service, but yet kept our regulated utility fully involved in safe and accurate distribution service,” Echols said. “It is working really well for us.” Echols credited his colleagues on the commission, ofﬁcials who preceded him, state legislators, Atlanta Gas Light Co., Georgia’s electric membership corporations and many others who worked tirelessly to bring beneﬁts to Georgia natural gas customers. “My job now is to keep the competitive marketplace healthy into the future.” 17 FERTNIG / ISTOCKPHOTO.COM July marks one year of metals theft legislation http://www.ISTOCKPHOTO.COM http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - July 2013

Georgia Magazine - July 2013
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Liberty Notes
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar of Events
Georgia’s Energy Outlook
Currents
Fly-in or Drive-In
“Air Fare America”
Wood Basket of the World
Link to Video on Georgia’s Tree Industry
Lighten Up!
Control What You Consume
Around Georgia
Enhancing your adventure
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Snapshot
More Snapshot photos
Plant of the month
July’s online trivia contest
Georgia Grown spotlight

Georgia Magazine - July 2013