Wow, what a race!

It all started a few weeks ago, after a tour of the Amicalola EMC territory in North Georgia, the president and CEO of the EMC, Todd Payne, took Georgia Public Service Commission Vice Chairman Tim Echols to Atlanta Motorsports Park in Dawsonville for a karting race. Hitting speeds close to 60 m.p.h. – and losing badly – gave Commissioner Echols an idea.

What if officials with each of Georgia’s EMCs got into a kart and held a race. The winner would get bragging rights. The losers would all have to ask their boards for funding in the 2021 budget to purchase an electric vehicle (EV) for the EMC’s fleet. While not all EMCs have an EV in their fleet today, many are encouraging EV adoption by hosting show-and-drive events, installing charging stations at their headquarters and providing education on their websites. Some cooperatives also offer residential and commercial rates or incentives to help EV drivers save money by shifting vehicle charging to off-peak hours.

The EMCs got together and added a second incentive for participation – $10,000 for the H.E.A.T. Georgia program donated by Georgia EMC, the cooperatives’ statewide trade group. H.E.A.T. Georgia, or the Heating Energy Assistance Team, helps senior citizens, the medically fragile and people with low incomes to pay their heating bills through the colder months.

On Friday October 9, at Atlanta Motorsports Park, 18 representatives from 16 EMCs jumped into race karts and hit the gas pedal trying to win all the pride Georgia’s electricity providers could handle. The track, at 20 Duck Thurmond Road in Dawsonville, boasts karting like no other track. It’s built to Formula One standards, runs 0.85 of a mile, has 17 turns and offers 43 feet of elevation change. This was not a neighborhood go-kart race using wooden contraptions running on baby coach wheels. This was a real motorsport.

https://atlantamotorsportspark.com/karting/

“It’s all in good fun,” Commissioner Echols said. “But at the same time, I hope this brings awareness to alternative fuel vehicles, one of my passions. Those of us in the business of ensuring Georgians are provided with safe, efficient, and stable electricity should be at the forefront of the electric car movement and we should be leading by example.”

“It’s always a great day when Commissioner Echols and Georgia’s EMCs can come together to increase awareness for environmentally-friendly electric vehicles,” said Dennis Chastain, President/CEO of Georgia EMC, “More importantly, we were able to raise money for Georgia’s citizens who need support in these difficult times more than ever. It was a win-win for everyone. We appreciate the opportunity and the Commissioner’s important work on behalf of our state’s residents.”

Following a practice session, the racers competed in a qualifying round. Cobb EMC President Peter Heintzelman posted the fastest qualifying time, but volunteered for the last pole position – given his history with kart racing and his past experience racing real cars.

Just one lap into the race, Heintzelman had passed 15 of the 18 karts to take third place. By the sixth lap, he was in second. Regardless, it was Chris Stephens of Coweta-Fayette EMC who would not let Heintzelman pass him. Ultimately, Stephens came in first, Heintzelman came in second and Steve Chalker of Jefferson Energy held third place. All participants except Stephens will have to ask their boards of directors for money to purchase an electric vehicle for their EMC’s fleet.

PSC Vice Chairman Tim Echols served as Race Steward.

Racers included:

Altamaha EMC, George McLendon

Amicalola EMC, Todd Payne

Carroll EMC, Tim Martin

Cobb EMC, Peter Heintzelman

Coweta-Fayette EMC, Chris Stephens

Georgia EMC, Dennis Chastain

Green Power EMC, Jeff Pratt

GreyStone Power, Gary A. Miller

Jackson EMC, Chip Jakins

Jefferson Energy, Steve Chalker

Little Ocmulgee EMC, Lewis Sheffield

Little Ocmulgee EMC, Jonathan Brown

Oconee EMC, Terri Howard

Sumter EMC, Rene Smith

Sumter EMC, David Brokamp

Tri-County EMC, Ray Grinberg

Walton EMC, Ron Marshall

Washington EMC, Wendy Sellers

This is Commissioner Echols’ second term on the Georgia Public Service Commission, having been re-elected statewide in November 2016. You can find his complete biography and photo on the Commission web site at https://psc.ga.gov/about-the-psc/commissioners/tim-echols/