ATLANTA, Ga. — As heating season approaches, Georgia Power is reminding its customers across the state that discounts, free upgrades and rebates are available to keep winter electric bills in check.
The utility, which serves about 2.8 million customers, made the push for October, which it marks as Energy Efficiency Month.
The biggest monthly break is the Income-Qualified Discount, worth $33.50 a month. It is open to customers who receive Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income, take part in Housing Choice Voucher programs, or are seniors whose household income is at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines.
Income-qualified customers may also get free home improvements through the company program known as EASE, which can cover HVAC servicing, added insulation and smart thermostats installed by approved contractors.
For other households, the Home Energy Improvement Program offers rebates of half the cost of qualifying work such as insulation, duct sealing and HVAC tune-ups, with a ceiling of $1,850 per single-family home, or $1,250 per apartment or other multifamily unit. A free in-home energy audit gives customers a walk-through and a list of suggested fixes, and an online usage tool can send alerts when a household goes over a set budget.
Simple steps help too. The company suggests sealing drafts around doors and windows, keeping the thermostat near 68 degrees rather than shutting it off, and opening blinds on sunny days. A programmable thermostat can trim up to $100 a year, the utility said.
On rates, the typical home using 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month began saving about $50 a year this summer from lower fuel costs. The Georgia Public Service Commission voted in 2025 to hold base rates steady through at least the end of 2028, extending an alternate rate plan first approved in 2022, though storm costs, including Hurricane Helene repairs, are being handled in a separate case. The company projects further savings of about $15 a month for a typical household starting in 2029.
Section: More Savannah GA business news
