PSC candidate Tim Echols supports nuclear energy
The current PSC vice chairman has served on PSC since 2011
Like President Trump, Tim Echols, who is seeking reelection to the Georgia Public Service Commission, has a strong stance supporting nuclear energy expansion.
The Trump administration has taken significant action in its push for developing America's nuclear energy potential.
Similarly, during his tenure on the commission, Echols has been a staunch advocate for Georgia's own nuclear capabilities.
As Scripps News reported, on May 23, President Trump signed several executive orders concerning nuclear energy, the first of which intends to reform the U.S. Department of Energy's Nuclear Research and Development by speeding up the processes of reactor testing, applications for new reactors, and reviews for new reactor construction.
The second will ease regulatory burdens at the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense in order to facilitate reactor construction on federally owned land, while the third will require the Nuclear Regulatory commission to determine whether to approve nuclear reactor licenses within an 18-month period, and the fourth will focus on expanding American uranium mining and enrichment.
According to his page on the PSC website, Echols wrote the December 2017 motion to continue the Plant Vogtle expansion project, evidence of his belief that nuclear energy will fuel Georgia's growth and success.
While having supported the Plant Vogtle expansion, Echols has acknowledged that the completion delays and cost overrun were concerning.
As E&E News reported, Echols said that going forward future nuclear energy construction projects should receive federal financial backing to help cover costs and protect Georgia's energy consumers.
According to Georgia Public Broadcasting, Echols has also advocated for other states to seek "some kind of federal financial backstop" as they pursue their own nuclear energy development projects.
In a pair of posts on X, Echols touted Republican Idaho Sen. Jim Risch's Accelerating Reliable Capacity (ARC) Act of 2024.
According to Echols, the ARC Act would "Support the deployment of three or more early-mover nuclear reactors; Address the effects of cost uncertainty for critical megaprojects; Provide additional financing support in partnership with existing federal programs; and not require any new federal spending."
Echols has served on the PSC since January 2011. He is currently vice chairman.
He is running for re-election against Lee Muns. The primary election will be held on June 17, and the winner will go on to face Democrat Alicia Johnson in the November election.
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