Top Tier Georgia Battery Sales Reference

Internal Sales Team Resource — Georgia Power Territory

Pain-to-Cure Walkthrough

This is the spine of the GA Power pitch. It follows the proposal in order — when you're sitting with a customer, the tool on the screen walks the same arc. Every beat below has the customer-facing copy (what they see) and the rep-guide layer (what you need to know to deliver it).

This guide is specifically for Georgia Power territory customers. EMC customers (Cobb EMC, Jackson EMC, etc.) use a separate guide — do not apply Georgia Power math to EMC customers.

Default Configuration: SELF-CONSUMPTION (lead option). Georgia leads with the lower-cost self-consumption configuration ($17K cash / ~$210/mo). Backup-capable is the more complete product — it does everything self-consumption does AND adds outage protection ($18.5K cash / ~$228/mo). Present both; let the customer choose.

Standing Rules (Do NOT Violate)

• ❌ NEVER coach reps to disqualify based on home tenure. Resale story is real — not "walk away."
• ❌ NEVER claim "all warranties transfer." Workmanship: with written consent. Align: non-transferable. Manufacturer: per OEM terms.
• ❌ NEVER fabricate inspection findings.
• ❌ NEVER quote the 0.85 bill-reduction factor as a guarantee.
• ❌ 85+ confirmation call required. Customer confirms own finances, no POA, sound mind.
• ❌ Financing ends before age 91. 75 → 15-year max. 80 → 10-year max.
• ❌ Honest cancellation window. Overselling = free customer exit + $1K-$1.5K clawback.
• ❌ Certified before selling.

Go get the sale. A battery is a strong product — clean energy, independence, backup, long-term savings. A customer who wants one for any honest reason is a good sale. We never walk away over price or low savings — that's the customer's call. Do right by the customer, protect the company, be honest.

The Problem

Why you still have a bill. Georgia Power credits exports at far less than the retail import rate. Every kWh the customer exports during the day and buys back at night, they lose the spread. Their panels are producing — they're just not capturing the value. A battery captures that value.

Rep layer: This is the opener. GA Power net billing: power used instantly offsets at ~13¢ retail; power exported is credited at a much lower rate. The customer sells low and buys high — that gap is the leak on every bill. Name the problem before they do. Rate plans to know: standard residential, solar net-billing tariff, Overnight Advantage TOU. Objection — "I get credits." Yes, at the export rate, not the retail rate.

Your system is orphaned. The customer's installer is likely gone, merged, or unreachable. If something goes wrong, there's no one accountable. They own the system and the risk.

Rep layer: Ask who installed it and whether they've heard from them. Most haven't. Sets up the takeover section. Objection — "My installer's still around." Would they answer a service call within a week?

Your inverter is on the clock. The inverter is X years old. When it fails out of warranty, that's ~$3,500-$5,000 out of pocket, and the system produces nothing until replaced.

Rep layer: SolarEdge ~10yr warranty, replacement years 8-15. Enphase 25yr, real issues years 10-20. You'll pick this up in the hidden-costs section. Objection — "Still under warranty." Good — until it isn't.

(BACKUP ONLY) No protection when the grid goes down. Solar shuts off during outages (anti-islanding). A battery keeps critical systems running for 18-30 hours, indefinitely with sun.

Rep layer: This beat renders ONLY for backup-capable. Georgia context: Helene Sept 2024, ice storms, severe thunderstorm season. Objection — "We don't get many outages." Respect it. Sell self-consumption honestly if they don't value backup.

The Solution

The battery cuts your bill. Stores daytime solar, uses it at night. Instead of selling low and buying high, the customer keeps the value.

• Self-consumption: "Maximize the value of the solar you already own."
• Backup: "Does everything self-consumption does AND keeps your home running when the grid goes down."

Monthly Cost Chart and Net Bill Breakdown render here.

Rep layer: First cure beat — directly answers the bill-leak problem. Walk every line of the chart. Overnight Advantage turbocharges this (~2.2¢ super off-peak). OA not required for basic value but maximizes it.

We take it over. Top Tier becomes single point of contact for the entire system. 10-year workmanship warranty, 5-year Align Solar Protection ($0 deductible, non-transferable), manufacturer warranty coordination.

Rep layer: Answers the orphaned-system problem. Be precise on transfers: workmanship with written consent; Align non-transferable; manufacturer per OEM.

Thousands you don't pay. The $11K+ Hidden Costs Avoided bundle. Built into the takeover, not extras.

Rep layer: Reframes total cost. "$210/mo buys battery + warranty + service + inverter coverage."

The long game. 30.8% rate increase in 18 months. Freeze through 2028, then Vogtle, data centers, transmission, gas, storm hardening. A battery locks in economics.

Rate Justification + Own vs Rent render here.

Rep layer: 25-year case: conservative 5%, moderate 7%, aggressive 9%. All show significant value. Objection — "Rates might not go up that much." Point at the documented 30.8%.

What you actually own. The savings hero — combined 25-year value.

• Self-consumption: "Maximizes bill savings. Does not provide backup. Ask about the upgrade."
• Backup: "Does everything self-consumption does, plus keeps critical loads running."

Rep layer: GA today: ~$82K-$123K. No-backup disclosure fires ONLY for self-consumption.

Urgency

Three real clocks make acting now better than waiting.

Georgia Power battery bonus. Georgia Power's approved Solar Plus Storage Pilot pays battery owners based on the output (kW) of the battery installed — a higher-output battery earns a larger bonus. The program is approved and capacity-capped at 50 MW statewide. Approved bonus amounts by battery:

The program is approved but not yet enrolling — customers cannot sign up today. What they CAN do today is install the hardware that makes them eligible. When enrollment opens, the 50 MW cap means slots will fill fast — Duke Energy's similar program in North Carolina (100 MW, twice the size) filled within months. Customers without a battery installed cannot apply at all. Customers with a battery installed are ready to enroll day one. That is the urgency: the hardware is the entry ticket, and the line forms before the door opens.

Rep layer: Do not promise a check. Do not imply the program is currently enrolling. The honest pitch is: "The program is approved. The capacity is limited. Installing now puts you in line. Without the hardware, you're not eligible at all." The bonus applies to their loan principal as a lump sum — shortens the loan term but does NOT lower the monthly payment (Service Finance does not re-amortize). See the detailed VPP reference section below for the full two-track breakdown and income-qualifying details.

Rate freeze ending. Georgia Power's rate freeze runs through 2028. After that, the documented cost drivers restart: Vogtle nuclear recovery, data center load growth, transmission expansion, natural gas exposure, storm hardening. A battery installed now locks in self-consumption economics at today's rates before the next round of increases hits. Every month of delay is a month closer to the post-freeze rate environment without protection.

System aging. The customer's inverter is aging toward the failure window. The longer they wait, the closer they get to an out-of-warranty replacement at $3,500-$5,000 out of pocket — without a service relationship to handle it. Installing now means Top Tier covers the inverter coordination from day one.

The Close

1. Verify credit. Run the credit check before moving to paperwork.
2. Customer reads and signs the service agreement. Walk through the key disclosures with the customer — don't skip or minimize. The year-1 cost increase disclosure needs the most handling: "Your total monthly cost goes up slightly in years 1-3. The math improves as rates climb after 2028 and dramatically improves after the loan is paid off."
3. Complete the Welcome Call. This finalizes the sale and sets expectations for the installation process.

Reference Sections

Everything below is detailed reference material supporting the pain-to-cure walkthrough above.

The Utility at a Glance

Note on EMC customers: This guide is specifically for Georgia Power territory customers. EMC customers (Cobb EMC, Jackson EMC, etc.) have their own programs and rules, and the math differs significantly. Don't apply this guide to EMC customers without verification.

The Pitch Framework

The three Georgia customer archetypes

Reps should identify which archetype they're talking to within the first 5 minutes of conversation. The pitch differs significantly for each.

Archetype 1: The High-Bill Orphan (Most Common)

• Has 8 kW or larger solar designed for 100% offset
• Originally installed 2021-2024 — placed on RNR-Instantaneous Netting from day one
• Original installer defunct or unresponsive
• Average bill running $180+/month with winter spikes to $300-400+
• Has access to monitoring app or could (with help)

Strongest fit. Lead with the bill leak story and system rescue.

Archetype 2: The Grandfathered Monthly Netting Customer (Less Common, Trickier)

• Installed solar before July 26, 2021
• On RNR-Monthly Netting (5,000-customer cap closed in 2021)
• Bill is genuinely near zero when system works
• Battery savings are smaller because they already have favorable solar economics

More difficult sale. Focus on system rescue and future hedging — don't claim dramatic bill reduction.

Archetype 3: The Energy Offset Only Customer (Rare but Valuable)

• Has solar but no export credit at all on their bill
• Often doesn't know they're on this worst-tier program
• Battery savings are massive because all stored energy displaces retail-rate imports

Strong fit once identified. Pull their bill carefully — if no credit lines for exports, they're here.

The opening pitch

"You bought an 8 kW solar system designed to produce 100% of your annual usage. It does. So why are you still paying Georgia Power $400+/month in December and January?

Because the sun goes down at 4:30 PM in winter, and from that moment until the next morning, your home runs entirely on grid power. Your AC, heat pump, hot water heater, lights, cooking — all of it pulls from Georgia Power at retail rates. Your solar produces during the day when you're not using much, exports to the grid at $0.072/kWh, and you buy the same energy back in the evening at up to $0.298/kWh.

Your solar system isn't broken. Georgia Power's billing structure is designed to capture most of its value. Top Tier reverses that. We solve all of this with a battery that powers your home in the evening, a rate plan switch that unlocks 2¢/kWh overnight power, full system rescue with a brand-new 10-year workmanship warranty, and rate hedging against documented Georgia Power increases."

Why You Still Have a Bill

Use AFTER you've opened with takeover/inspection. This is the bill anatomy explainer that bridges the customer from "why did I book this appointment about my bill" to "here's how the bill math works once we install the battery."

This is the exact language the customer sees on the proposal:

You went solar and still see a bill. Here's why.

Georgia Power doesn't pay you the same rate for the energy you export as the rate you pay when you import. They credit your exports at an export rate (their "EDG" or net-billing rate), but you buy electricity back at the full retail rate. The spread between the two is where your residual bill comes from. Every kWh your solar produces during the day that you don't use immediately gets credited at the lower export rate. Every kWh you import after sunset costs you retail. A battery stores your daytime production for nighttime use — capturing the spread by self-consuming what you'd otherwise export.

Georgia Power specifics for the rep

For Georgia Power, anchor the copy above with the actual published rates so the customer can verify against their own bill:

• Georgia Power export rate (RNR-Instantaneous): ~$0.072/kWh — far below retail. No 1:1 rollover. Every exported kWh is credited at this rate, not at the rate the customer pays back.
• Georgia Power retail import rates: ~$0.14/kWh standard, up to ~$0.298/kWh on the Smart Usage on-peak windows. A typical customer sits in the $0.14-0.30/kWh band depending on rate plan + time-of-use.
• The spread the battery captures: $0.068 to $0.226 per kWh of self-consumed energy that would otherwise have exported at $0.072. Multiply by the customer's daily nighttime consumption to see the daily $/yr value.

How to use it in conversation

After the takeover/inspection lead has landed, transition with: "Now let me show you why you still see a Georgia Power bill even though your solar is doing what it should — and what changes when we add storage." Then walk through the copy above using the customer's own bill as the proof point. The framing matches what they'll see on the proposal PDF, so there's no drift between rep verbal and the document.

What NOT to say:

• ❌ "Your solar is broken." (It's not — Georgia Power's billing structure is the issue.)
• ❌ "You should switch utilities." (Georgia Power is regulated monopoly territory; there's no alternative.)
• ❌ "Net metering is gone." (Imprecise — Georgia Power has RNR-Instantaneous, which IS net billing, not retail net metering. Use the actual rate names.)

Hidden Costs Avoided: The $11K System Takeover Bundle

Pillar 3 of the pitch (after Bridge and Takeover/Inspection lead). When Top Tier takes over the system, you bundle in services the customer would otherwise pay out of pocket over the 25-year horizon. These are estimates, not firm line-item quotes — but they total over $11K of value the customer doesn't see on the proposal's headline savings number.

This is the exact 5-tile bundle the customer sees on the proposal:

How to use it in conversation

The pitch: "On top of the bill math we walked through, you're picking up over $11K of bundled services that aren't sold separately. We don't quote them as line items because they're built into the takeover. But if your inverter fails in year 12, the manufacturer warranty handling alone is worth a few hundred dollars. The replacement coordination saves you another $3-5K. The 5-year Align contract on your existing system is $1,500 you'd otherwise pay if you went looking for it. It adds up."

What NOT to say

• ❌ Don't promise the line items as standalone products. Top Tier does NOT sell Align Solar Protection or service call coverage as standalone purchases. The values above are estimated 25-yr cost avoidance, not a price sheet a customer could shop. Saying "you could pay $X for Align separately" creates an expectation that doesn't match reality.
• ❌ Don't pitch the headline as a guarantee. "Over $11K" is the estimated typical bundle value. Headline rounds DOWN from $11,800 specifically to read as an estimate, not a firm quote.
• ❌ Don't reduce the customer's existing 10-yr workmanship value to zero if they had one from an existing installer — note that workmanship transferred under the original installer is typically unenforceable when the installer is out of business (which is why Top Tier's 10-yr coverage is the meaningful protection).
• ❌ Don't confuse Align (which is non-transferable) with the manufacturer warranty (which is) in the resale story. See Objection Handling for the verbatim per-warranty rule.

Relationship to the "Quantifying the Value" $4K-$7.5K table below

The existing "Quantifying the Value" table (in the System Rescue Value section below) shows a $4K-$7.5K range for a narrower set of items focused on the workmanship + warranty-handling subset. The $11K 5-tile bundle is the broader takeover quantification that matches the on-screen proposal + customer PDF. Use the $11K 5-tile bundle as the canonical talk-track. The narrower table remains as historical reference and as a sanity check on the lower bound.

What You Own vs What You Rent — Values Reframe

Pillar 4 of the pitch. Georgia Power's net-billing structure means the customer's "rent" number (utility bill compounded over 25 years) compounds materially at the export/import spread. The 25-year horizon isn't about which line is lower on a chart — it's about whether the customer walks out with an asset.

This is the exact framing the customer sees on the proposal:

Over 25 years: are you renting power or owning it?

The 25-year horizon isn't about which line is lower on the chart — it's about whether you walk out with an asset.

Two columns to walk through:

What You Rent (red column)

• 25-yr cumulative utility payments at Georgia Power's moderate-scenario rate of climb
• Typical: $60K-$127K depending on bill size (see the existing 25-Year Total Cost Analysis section for the per-archetype math)
• Money paid to Georgia Power, escalating year after year. You own nothing at the end. If rates climb faster than the moderate scenario, this number grows.

What You Own (green column)

• Total loan payments over 15 years: ~$37.8K ($210/mo × 12 × 15) + the system itself
• Loan paid off at year 15. Years 16-25 you own the system outright with no payment.
• Incremental home value: $3K-$10K. Lawrence Berkeley Lab storage-premium research suggests battery adds this on top of solar's premium. The customer's solar likely added ~$15K-$20K at original install — battery builds on that. Varies by market.

How to use it in conversation

The strongest framing for high-bill GA customers (Archetype 1: High-Bill Orphan, $180+/mo): the rent column is $80K-$127K cumulative; the own column is $37.8K loan total + paid-off-system + $3-10K home value. The dollar gap is stark.

For lower-bill GA customers (Archetype 2: Grandfathered Monthly Netting): the rent column is smaller today because they have favorable solar economics. The dollar comparison still works because Georgia Power's documented rate trajectory (30% in 18 months 2023-2024, then continuing climb after the 2028 freeze) makes the rent number compound. The reframe holds — but layer it WITH the system rescue + future-hedge story rather than leading with it.

For Archetype 3 (Energy Offset Only): the rent column is the largest because they have no export credit at all. The dollar comparison is overwhelming in their favor.

What NOT to say

• ❌ Don't oversell the home-value range. $3K-$10K is the incremental battery premium per Berkeley Lab — NOT the total solar + battery premium. The customer's solar already captured ~$15K-$20K at original install; battery builds on that.
• ❌ Don't quote a fixed dollar saving instead of the ownership reframe. "You save $90K over 25 years" lands worse than "the asset path costs $37.8K + system; the rent path costs $80K+ and you own nothing." The reframe is the point.
• ❌ Don't introduce uncertainty about the 0.85 factor here. The 25-yr cumulative math in this section uses the existing bill-math assumptions documented elsewhere in this guide; don't re-litigate them.

Georgia Power — The Net Billing Problem

Service Territory

Georgia Power serves approximately 2.4 million customers across most of Georgia outside EMC territories. As an investor-owned utility regulated by the Georgia Public Service Commission, Georgia Power's rates and programs are determined through the PSC rate case process every three years.

Net Metering: The RNR Program History

Understanding when each customer interconnected determines which version of the program they're on, and that drives everything about the pitch.

Before 2019: Georgia had no formal residential net metering program. Georgia Power used "instantaneous netting" by default, crediting excess solar at avoided cost (~$0.027/kWh). Residential solar economics were weak.

2019: As part of the 2019 Rate Case, Georgia PSC approved a small Monthly Netting pilot program — capped at 5,000 customers statewide and giving participants 1:1 retail-rate credits on a monthly basis.

July 26, 2021: The 5,000-customer cap was hit. From that day forward, all new solar customers were placed on RNR-Instantaneous Netting instead.

December 2022: Georgia PSC's 2022 Rate Case decision formally ended any expansion. Customers on Monthly Netting were grandfathered through 2038. Everyone else permanently routes to RNR-Instantaneous.

July 2025: In the 2025 IRP decision, Georgia PSC deferred the RNR net metering program to the 2028 IRP/rate case for reconsideration.

Practical impact: Customers who installed solar before July 26, 2021 may be on the favorable Monthly Netting program. Customers who installed after July 26, 2021 are on RNR-Instantaneous Netting, which is what creates the bill problem your battery solves.

How RNR-Instantaneous Actually Works

• Bidirectional meter measures imports and exports separately
• Imports billed at retail rate (~$0.14/kWh average) plus demand charges and fees
• Exports credited at Solar Avoided Cost Rate ($0.0322/kWh in 2026) plus a $0.04/kWh PSC adder = $0.072/kWh total export credit
• No annual true-up — credits roll month to month but rarely accumulate to anything meaningful
• Customer must enroll in the program (not automatic) and pay a $100 interconnection fee at install
• Systems capped at 10 kW AC for residential

The takeaway: every kWh exported earns 7 cents. Every kWh imported costs 10-30 cents. The spread is what's bleeding the customer dry.

Battery Rebate — Future Upside

Current state: No battery rebate available today.

Future: The Georgia Power Solar Plus Storage Pilot was PSC-approved July 2025 as part of the 2025 IRP stipulation; enrollment has not opened and no firm launch date is confirmed — pitched as future upside only, never as available income. See dedicated VPP section below for full details.

Pitch Approach for Georgia Power Customers

The pitch structure depends entirely on which RNR program the customer is on. Identify this from their bill before walking into the financial story.

For RNR-Instantaneous customers (post-July 2021 installs): Lead with the bill leak. Their solar produces what they use on an annual basis, but the import/export spread is taking 50-80% of its value. The battery captures that value back. Use winter pain ($400 December bills) as the emotional anchor.

For RNR-Monthly Netting customers (grandfathered, pre-July 2021): Lead with system rescue and future hedging. Their bill is already low when their system works, so don't oversell the bill reduction. Focus on the orphaned customer problem (no warranty path) and the documented rate increase trajectory.

For Energy Offset Only customers: Lead with discovery. Many customers don't know they're on this worst-tier program. Once they understand they're getting zero credit for exports, the battery pitch is almost automatic — every kWh stored displaces retail-rate imports.

How To Identify The Rate Plan From a Bill (Critical Rep Skill)

The rate rider field alone can be misleading. Both programs sometimes display similar terminology. The reliable way to identify which program a customer is on is to look at how solar generation is calculated on page 2 of their bill.

RNR-Monthly Netting (Grandfathered, Pre-July 2021):

Look for these patterns on page 2:

• Solar production deducted from total kWh used in the meter reading section BEFORE billing calculations
• Bill calculation pattern: (Total Usage – Total Solar Production) × retail rate
• Excess generation beyond monthly usage credited at avoided cost only as a separate line
• May rollover any excess as credits on next month's bill
• The customer's bill will show a much lower net usage number than what they actually consumed

This program is active through December 31, 2038 for those already enrolled. Cannot be added to.

RNR-Instantaneous Netting (Post-July 2021):

Look for these patterns on page 2:

• Separate line items showing:
  • "Renewables Generation Credit" at $0.032188/kWh (Solar Avoided Energy Cost)
  • "Renewables Generation Adder" at $0.040000/kWh
  • Combined total = $0.072/kWh on exports
• Customer pays full retail on all imports — solar production does NOT offset usage in the calculation
• Rate rider may show "RNR" or "RNR-11" or "RNR Bi-Directional"

The "Bi-Directional" label refers to the bidirectional meter, not the netting program. Don't be fooled — verify by looking at the calculation method.

Energy Offset Only:

• No credit lines for exports
• Customer's solar offsets on-site usage but earns $0 for excess
• Rare but exists; check if customer thinks they have a "solar program" but you see no credits on their bill

Battery Optimization: Rate Plans and Daily Operating Cycle

The Rate Plan Switch: Overnight Advantage

The second-largest value lever after system rescue.

Critical clarification: Georgia Power replaced the old PEV rate with Overnight Advantage. The new plan has NO EV requirement. Georgia Power's marketing language explicitly includes home battery owners as eligible customers.

No demand charges on Overnight Advantage — this alone saves $50-90/month for typical Smart Usage customers in summer and winter heating peak months.

The Daily Operating Cycle

Battery configured for self-consumption only, never exports to grid.

Battery never exports. Configuration must be set to "Solar Only" exports. Battery energy stays behind the meter at all times. Powering the home avoids $0.102-$0.298/kWh; exporting earns only $0.072. Self-consumption always wins.

The Other Rate Plans Customers Might Be On

Most customers who are upset about high bills are on Smart Usage with surprise demand charges. When you switch them to Overnight Advantage, the demand charges disappear entirely, which alone saves $50-90/month in summer.

Key Talking Points for Reps

1. "The rate plan switch is required to capture full value." Don't bury this. The battery alone won't deliver the projected savings without the Overnight Advantage rate plan.
2. "Battery never exports." Critical configuration detail. Self-consumption only. Battery energy stays behind the meter.
3. "Overnight Advantage has no EV requirement." Common customer confusion since it replaced the PEV rate. Anyone with a home battery qualifies.
4. "Smart Usage demand charges disappear on Overnight Advantage." This alone saves customers $50-90/month in summer peak months.
5. The rate-plan-aware number. Modeled on the tool's rate-plan-aware rendering: a battery household moving to Overnight Advantage typically sees on the order of a ~59% Year-1 bill reduction in the tool's current model, and the pairing adds roughly 15% to the 25-year savings hero range — the tool computes the customer's actual figures.

Georgia Power Rate History and Future Outlook

This section gives reps documented rate history and projections. Reps must distinguish between what has happened (verifiable) and what is projected (uncertain). Use documented history when telling the rate trajectory story.

Historical Rate Increases (2022-2025)

Georgia Power has raised rates dramatically in recent years. These are documented and verifiable through PSC filings:

Key statistics to know:

• Six rate increases in three years (2022-2025)
• Average residential bill went from ~$128 (2022) to ~$171 (2025)
• Vogtle alone will be in customer bills through ~2045 ($200-300/year continued impact)
• Southern Company (parent company) earned $4.4 billion profit in 2024, +$400M over 2023
• Georgia Power's profit alone was $2.54 billion in 2024, +22.3% over 2023

What's Coming After the 2028 Freeze

This is what justifies aggressive long-term rate projections:

1. Vogtle Long Tail: Customers will pay Vogtle costs through ~2045. Independent analysts estimate $200-300/year continued impact.
2. Data Center Load Growth: Georgia is one of the top data center markets in the country. Georgia Power filed an IRP projecting 8,200 MW of new load growth through 2030. That requires massive new generation and transmission investment.
3. New Capacity Filings: Georgia Power has already filed for 2,000-6,000 MW of new dispatchable generation for 2032-2033 service.
4. Transmission & Generation Expansion: $16 billion in major generation and infrastructure expansion approved by PSC on December 19, 2025 to serve projected data-center load growth, with more capacity filings to follow.
5. Natural Gas Exposure: ~48% of Georgia Power's generation is natural gas. Volatile fuel costs flow through to ratepayers via fuel cost recovery mechanisms.
6. Storm Cost Recovery: Helene 2024 caused massive damage. Storm costs are flowing into rate recovery — the recovery mechanism and any approved rider terms are carried in the tool; the trajectory point stands regardless of the docket's exact timing.
7. Federal Policy Headwinds: Princeton study estimates IRA repeal could add $430/year to household energy costs by 2035.

Three Rate Scenarios for Projections

The bottom line: No serious analyst expects Georgia Power rates to stay flat after 2028. The only debate is HOW MUCH they go up. Even the Conservative 5% scenario is half the recent historical pace — and the math still works at that number.

The Rate Story for Reps to Tell

Use this framework when telling the rate increase story to customers:

"Georgia Power has raised rates 30% in 18 months between 2023 and 2024. That's six rate increases in three years. The PSC approved a freeze through 2028 — but that's a freeze, not a rollback. Storm costs from Helene are being recovered separately. After 2028, Vogtle keeps costing customers through 2045, data centers are pulling 8,200 MW of new load, and natural gas exposure means fuel costs flow straight through to your bill. The trend isn't customer-friendly, and there's no reason to expect it to reverse."

Critical Disclosure for All Customers

When discussing rate trajectories, reps must be careful about projection language:

• ✅ "Georgia Power bills have gone up 30% over 18 months 2023-2024" (documented fact)
• ✅ "The PSC has approved a freeze through 2028" (documented fact)
• ✅ "Vogtle costs flow through to customers through ~2045" (documented timeline)
• ❌ "Your bill will be $X by 2030" (speculation)
• ❌ "Rates will definitely double in 10 years" (overstated projection)

Stick to documented history. Let customers draw their own conclusions about future trajectory based on the pattern.

Bill Math: The Real Seasonal Pattern

Customers describe their bill as "$210/month average" but that masks the reality. The actual experience is what drives the pitch.

Without Battery (Current State)

The customer's pain isn't $210 — it's the $400+ winter shock that arrives every December and January when they're paying the most attention to their bills.

Why Their 100% Offset System Doesn't Solve This

For an 8 kW system in Georgia (Atlanta area, 4.5 peak sun hours):

• Annual production: ~11,200 kWh
• Customer's annual consumption: ~11,200 kWh
• Designed to be net-zero on annual basis

But Georgia Power bills monthly with no rollover, and prices imports vs exports at very different rates:

• Solar exports (midday surplus): $0.072/kWh credit
• Imports during off-peak: $0.102/kWh
• Imports during summer on-peak (2-7 PM Jun-Sep): $0.298/kWh
• Plus demand charges if on Smart Usage

The result: Even though annual production = annual consumption, the customer pays $2,520/year because the timing mismatch hammers them. They're producing energy when GA Power values it least and consuming when GA Power charges them most.

With Battery + Overnight Advantage

The battery's biggest value comes in your worst months. Winter savings of $300-375/month are where this product really earns its keep.

Why This Math Works

The battery doesn't have to do much in spring/fall — those bills are already low. But in winter:

• Battery covers 4-6 hours of evening peak grid avoidance
• Overnight grid charging at $0.022/kWh handles the rest
• No demand charges on Overnight Advantage
• Result: $400 winter bill becomes $50 winter bill

In summer:

• Battery covers 2-7 PM on-peak window completely
• Solar covers daytime
• Off-peak rate covers post-7 PM evening
• Result: $185 summer bill becomes $40

25-Year Total Cost Analysis

Without Battery (No Action) — Annual Bills

With Battery + Overnight Advantage — Annual Bills (GA Power only)

Cumulative 25-Year Cost Comparison

Break-Even Calendar

The Year 1 Cost Conversation

Critical to set expectations correctly:

"Here's the year 1 math. Your Georgia Power bill drops from $2,520/year to $363/year — a $2,157 reduction. Your loan payment is $2,520/year. So your total annual outflow goes from $2,520 to $2,883 — that's $363 more per year, or about $30 more per month, in early years.

The biggest savings are in winter. Your December and January bills drop from $400+ to under $50. Spring and fall stay near zero. Summer drops too.

Around year 4-7 depending on how fast Georgia Power raises rates after the freeze, your monthly costs equalize. Around year 7-12, you've recouped all the early extra spending. After year 15, the loan is paid off and you save $5,000-15,000+ per year for another 10 years.

You're trading $30/month in early years for $60,000-127,000 in long-term savings. Plus a brand-new 10-year workmanship warranty on a system that currently has none. Plus rate hedging against documented Georgia Power increases."

Georgia Power Solar Plus Storage Pilot (VPP) — Detailed Rep Guide

Georgia Power's Smart Neighborhoods program is capacity-capped at 50 MW statewide and first-come-first-served. At ~5-10 kW per home, that's roughly 5,000-10,000 customer slots total. Installing a battery now is what puts the customer in line to apply when it opens — without the hardware, they are not eligible at all. The urgency is the limited capacity and the eligibility window, not a guaranteed check. Do not promise income; do not imply it is currently enrolling. The program is approved, the capacity is finite, and early movers get priority.

Program Background and Status

What it is: A virtual power plant (VPP) program where Georgia Power can call on customer-owned batteries during high-demand periods. Customers earn payments for making their stored energy available.

When it was approved: Georgia PSC approved the pilot in July 2025 as part of the 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) stipulation. Tariff filing followed in late 2025.

Why it exists: Georgia Power is facing massive load growth from data centers (8,200 MW projected through 2030) and needs flexible capacity. Building new power plants takes 5-7 years. Customer batteries are deployable now. The pilot tests whether residential VPP can defer or replace traditional generation investment.

Modeled after: Duke Energy's PowerPair program in North Carolina (launched 2024), which has been highly successful and oversubscribed within months of opening.

Capacity cap: 50 MW total statewide. At ~5-10 kW per residential system, that's roughly 5,000-10,000 customer slots before the program fills.

Status: PSC-approved July 2025; enrollment has not opened and no firm launch date is confirmed. Tariff filings in regulatory process. Pitched as future upside only, never as available income.

The Two Tracks Explained

The program offers two enrollment options, and customers must choose one or the other. Reps need to understand the trade-offs.

Track 1: Customer-Directed

How it works: Customer keeps control over their battery. Georgia Power requests dispatch during high-demand events; customer chooses whether to participate. Performance payment only flows for energy actually dispatched.

For a 10 kW Enphase system at typical dispatch (~20 events × 3 hours = 600 kWh/year):

• Upfront: $150
• Annual: ~$900/year
• 10-year potential: ~$9,150
• Best for: Customers who want flexibility and aren't relying on payments to make the loan work

Track 2: Company-Directed

How it works: Customer hands over dispatch control to Georgia Power. They can call on the battery at any time during program events. Customer trades autonomy for a much larger one-time payment.

For a 10 kW Enphase system:

• Standard upfront: $7,500 one-time
• Income-qualifying: $10,000 one-time
• No ongoing payments
• Best for: Customers who want to apply the lump sum to their battery loan principal to pay it off faster

VPP payments follow the program's tier class (5 kW vs. 10 kW), not the battery's datasheet continuous output — quote the tier.

For a 5 kW SolarEdge system:

• Standard upfront: $3,750 one-time
• Income-qualifying: $5,000 one-time

Important note on Service Finance loans: Customers can apply their VPP rebate to their loan principal as a lump sum payment, which shortens the loan term but does NOT lower the monthly payment. Service Finance does not allow re-amortization. So if a customer takes the Company-Directed rebate of $7,500-10,000 and applies it to their loan, their $210/month payment continues unchanged but the loan ends earlier — meaning they save on total interest and gain ownership of their battery sooner. Reps should NOT promise customers a lower monthly payment from the VPP rebate.

Why This Program Will Likely Be Oversubscribed Quickly

Reps should understand the urgency narrative:

1. 50 MW cap divided across all of Georgia Power's 2.4 million customers = a tiny percentage will get in
2. Duke's PowerPair filled within 6 months of launch in NC despite being 100 MW
3. High-bill customers and orphaned solar customers are most motivated to enroll quickly
4. Customers without batteries already installed will face longer wait times because they need to procure, install, and commission before enrolling
5. Top Tier customers have an advantage — battery already installed, ready to enroll day one

The urgency pitch:

"When this program launches, it's going to fill quickly. North Carolina's similar program filled in under a year despite being twice the size. Customers with batteries already installed will be ready to enroll day one — customers without batteries are looking at 60-90 days minimum to procure and install before they can apply. By that point, the program may be capped."

Income-Qualifying Eligibility (LMI/MUSH)

The higher tier ($1,000/kW vs $750/kW) requires customer to qualify under one of these categories:

LMI (Low-to-Moderate Income): Household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) for their county. Georgia Power uses HUD-published AMI data updated annually.

For reference (2025 figures, will update):

• Cobb County 80% AMI for family of 4: ~$78,400
• Fulton County: ~$80,650
• Paulding County: ~$70,800
• Bartow County: ~$58,250

MUSH (Municipalities, Universities, Schools, Hospitals): Public sector institutions. Not relevant to residential pitch.

How to qualify a customer:

Don't try to verify income yourself. Tell the customer: "There's a higher tier of payment for households with income below a certain threshold. When the program launches, you can apply for that tier — Georgia Power handles the verification. For a typical family of 4, the threshold is around $70,000-80,000 depending on your county. If you're below that, you'd qualify for the higher payment."

Technical Requirements (Things Customers Will Ask)

Based on the tariff filings and the Duke PowerPair model, expect these requirements:

1. Compatible battery system — Both SolarEdge and Enphase are pre-approved manufacturers (most major brands are)
2. Internet-connected battery — Battery must be reachable via cloud for dispatch signaling
3. Minimum continuous power output — Likely 3 kW minimum (both products easily exceed this)
4. Minimum reserve capacity for dispatch — Customer agrees to maintain at least X% of capacity available for dispatch during program windows
5. Multi-year commitment — Likely 5-10 year enrollment commitment with prorated penalties for early withdrawal

Common Customer Questions

"What if Georgia Power damages my battery from too much dispatch?" Battery cycling during VPP events is well within manufacturer-approved usage. Battery warranties cover normal cycling. The dispatch frequency (~20 events/year × 3 hours each) is far below daily cycling that batteries handle without issue.

"What happens if I sell my house?" Most VPP programs allow transfer to new homeowner if they want to continue, or termination of the agreement when ownership changes. Specific Georgia Power terms TBD when tariff publishes.

"Will I lose backup power during dispatch?" For Top Tier installations, no — these batteries are configured as self-consumption only with no backup function. Dispatch reduces stored energy but doesn't affect home operations beyond reducing the battery's ability to cover evening loads.

"What if I don't want to participate in dispatch events?" Customer-Directed track lets you opt out of individual events. Company-Directed track does not — you've handed over dispatch control in exchange for the larger upfront payment.

"Are these payments taxable?" Generally yes — utility incentive payments are taxable income. Customers should consult a tax advisor.

Honest Limitations

1. Launch timing uncertain. "Approved" doesn't mean "open for enrollment." Could be 3 months, could be 18 months.
2. 50 MW cap is small. Customers shouldn't bank on getting in.
3. Payment estimates are based on early modeling. Actual dispatch frequency, hours per event, and total events per year aren't finalized.
4. VPP economics aren't part of base savings projections in our calculator — they're upside.
5. VPP rebate applied to loan shortens term, doesn't lower payment. Service Finance does not re-amortize loans on lump sum payments.

Top Tier System Rescue Value (Beyond Utility Programs)

Independent of any utility-specific consideration, Top Tier delivers concrete value by taking over the customer's existing solar system when we install the battery. This is one of Top Tier's strongest value drivers.

Reps should understand this as a supporting value lever — but in Georgia, it's often the single most powerful pitch point because so many customers are orphaned.

The Orphaned Solar Customer Problem

Many Georgia solar customers fall into a pattern Top Tier is uniquely positioned to solve:

• They installed solar between 2019 and 2024 during Georgia's solar growth period
• Their original installer has gone out of business, been acquired, or stopped servicing residential customers (especially common after the federal solar tax credit expired Dec 2025)
• Their original 10-year workmanship warranty is unenforceable (installer is gone)
• Their inverter is approaching or already past typical failure windows (8-15 years for SolarEdge string inverters)
• They have no service relationship for ongoing maintenance
• Most other solar companies refuse to service systems they didn't install (liability concerns)

These customers are walking around with a 25-year solar asset and no functional service or workmanship coverage. When their inverter fails, they're stuck.

The Inverter Failure Reality

Inverters are the weakest link in any solar system. The panels themselves typically last 25-30 years with minimal degradation. The inverter — which converts the panels' DC output to AC for home use — typically fails much sooner.

Typical inverter failure windows:

• SolarEdge string inverters: 8-15 years (manufacturer warranty 12 years standard, 25 years with extended)
• Enphase microinverters: 10-20 years (manufacturer warranty 25 years)
• Industry-wide: 70-90% of solar systems will experience inverter failure within the panel lifespan

When an inverter fails on an orphaned system:

1. Solar production stops completely
2. Customer's bills jump from low to full retail rates
3. Customer needs to find a service provider (most won't quote orphaned systems)
4. Out-of-pocket replacement cost: $3,500-5,000
5. Time without solar: typically 4-8 weeks while waiting for service, parts, scheduling

What Top Tier System Takeover Provides

When Top Tier installs a battery, the integration work creates the legal and technical basis for us to take over service responsibility for the entire system. This is formalized through a Service Warranty Agreement that includes a brand-new 10-year Limited Workmanship and Roof Penetration Warranty issued by Top Tier — separate from any manufacturer warranty on the equipment itself.

The takeover provides:

• A new 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty — Covers workmanship and roof penetrations on the existing system from the date of acceptance, regardless of how old the system is. This is fresh coverage, not advocacy within an expired warranty.
• Manufacturer warranty claim handling — When equipment defects occur within manufacturer warranty terms (SolarEdge, Enphase, etc.), Top Tier handles the claim and the labor; customer doesn't have to chase the manufacturer or find a service provider
• Inverter replacement coverage when applicable — If the inverter fails within the manufacturer's warranty, Top Tier handles the replacement; customer pays nothing for the work
• Single point of contact — Customer no longer has to track down their original installer or hunt for someone willing to service their system
• Monitoring setup help — Top Tier helps customers access SolarEdge or Enphase monitoring apps (many orphaned customers were never properly walked through setup)
• Performance verification — Top Tier identifies and addresses underperforming panels, dirty array, shading issues, and similar issues during the takeover inspection

Align Solar Protection service contract — 5-year added coverage on the existing system

Every Top Tier installation includes — at no extra cost, built into the price — the Align Solar Protection service contract. This is a standard inclusion, not an upsell. Customers don't choose it, opt in, or pay separately for it.

Terms:

• 5-year term from system acceptance
• $0 deductible on covered claims
• Insurance-backed: Align's obligations are insured by a third-party policy issued by American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, so the coverage holds even if Align itself couldn't perform
• Non-transferable to subsequent owners — the Align contract does not survive a home sale; surface this verbally if the customer is planning a near-term sale

What it covers:

• Mechanical breakdown of the customer's EXISTING solar PV equipment — panels, microinverters/optimizers, string/central inverters, and racking
• Parts, labor, and service calls are all paid by the contract

What it does NOT cover:

• The new battery — that has its own 10-year manufacturer warranty; the Align contract is for the customer's pre-existing equipment, not the battery we install
• Normal wear-and-tear, weather/storm/hail damage, pre-existing conditions, or roof issues (those last two are why the inspection exists)

Honest limits — reps must not oversell:

Coverage is contingent on a system inspection and Align's approval. Eligibility depends on equipment age and remaining manufacturer-warranty time:

• Panels and microinverters/optimizers: under 15 years old
• String/central inverters: under 7 years old

Not every existing system fully qualifies. If a customer's inverter is 9 years old or their panels are 16, parts of the system may be excluded — Top Tier discloses what's covered and what isn't at inspection. Never pitch this as "everything is covered" or as the customer's only coverage. It covers mechanical breakdown (defects in materials/workmanship); it does not cover wear, weather, or roof problems.

How it fits the broader coverage picture:

The 5-year Align contract is one added layer in a coordinated three-part coverage stack. It is NOT the customer's only or total coverage — describing it that way is overselling. The layers are:

1. The equipment's own manufacturer warranties — typically longer than 5 years (panels 25 yr, microinverters 25 yr, string inverters 12+ yr) — Top Tier handles the claims
2. Top Tier's 10-year workmanship and roof penetration warranty — covers installation work + roof seal integrity
3. The added 5-year Align service contract — covers mechanical breakdown of the existing PV equipment

These layers stack and overlap. Together they answer the orphaned-customer worry without overpromising.

Manufacturer warranty coordination — separate from the Align contract:

In addition to the Align contract, Top Tier coordinates manufacturer warranty claims at no cost — on both the new battery and the customer's pre-existing solar equipment. This directly answers the hardest worry the existing-inverter pitch surfaces: that no installer will service someone else's system. Top Tier does.

Pitch language for reps:

"Between the manufacturer warranties on your existing equipment — which we handle the claims for — Top Tier's new 10-year workmanship warranty, and an added 5-year Align service contract that covers mechanical breakdown on your existing solar equipment, your system is looked after. The Align contract is included standard — there's no upsell. Coverage on your specific equipment is confirmed at the inspection; if anything doesn't qualify (panels over 15 years, inverter over 7), we'll be straight with you about what's covered and what isn't — and note the Align contract is non-transferable to subsequent owners if you sell the home."

Things reps must NEVER say:

• "Everything on your solar is covered" — wrong; mechanical breakdown only, not wear or weather
• "You don't need to worry about anything ever again" — wrong; age limits + inspection contingency apply
• "The Align contract is your full coverage" — wrong; it's one of three layers
• "You can extend this beyond 5 years" — the term is 5 years, full stop
• "The Align coverage transfers when you sell" — wrong; non-transferable to subsequent owners

How the Takeover Works

The system takeover is contingent on Top Tier completing a full site survey and inspection. The inspection confirms the system is:

• In good working order
• Compliant with applicable building and electrical codes
• Installed in a manner consistent with Top Tier's workmanship standards

Top Tier reserves the right to decline takeover if the system is found to be non-compliant, hazardous, or otherwise deficient. If declined, the customer receives written notice within 7 calendar days along with a summary of findings.

Key points reps need to understand and disclose:

• The takeover is NOT automatic — it depends on the system passing inspection
• The 10-year workmanship warranty applies only to the system as identified at acceptance — not to anything added or altered by other parties afterward
• Top Tier is not liable for defects, malfunctions, or damages from work performed by the original installer before the takeover date
• Manufacturer warranties on equipment (panels, inverters, batteries) remain governed by their original terms — Top Tier doesn't extend those, but handles the claims process

Quantifying the Value

The system rescue value is real money, even though it's not always realized:

This is independent of bill savings or rate hedging. The system rescue alone could be worth $4,000-7,500 in avoided out-of-pocket costs and new warranty coverage.

Why Georgia Customers Especially Benefit

Several factors make system rescue particularly valuable in Georgia:

1. Georgia solar boom installations are now hitting failure window. Systems installed 2019-2023 during the state's biggest solar growth years are now 3-7 years old — approaching the inverter failure danger zone, often past most original installer workmanship warranties (or those warranties are unenforceable because the installer is gone).
2. Federal ITC is gone. Customers can't replace their solar system at 30% off anymore. Keeping the existing system working matters more than ever.
3. Many Georgia solar installers have gone out of business. The 2010s-2020s solar boom produced many installers that didn't survive the post-ITC market consolidation. Georgia has thousands of orphaned solar customers.

Pitch Language for Reps

For an orphaned customer (their installer is gone):

"Most companies won't even quote you on servicing your existing solar because they didn't install it and don't want the liability. Top Tier solves that. Once we integrate the battery and complete our inspection, we issue you a new 10-year workmanship and roof penetration warranty on your existing system. If your inverter fails in year 10, we handle the manufacturer warranty claim. If you have a roof leak around a panel mount, that's our 10-year workmanship coverage. Without us, you're paying $3,500-5,000 out of pocket and scrambling to find a service provider."

For a customer with a working system but skeptical about the financial pitch:

"Beyond the bill savings and the rate hedging, there's another value most customers don't think about. Your original 10-year workmanship warranty from your installer has either expired or doesn't matter because your installer is no longer in business. When we take over the system, we issue you a new 10-year workmanship and roof penetration warranty. That alone is typically worth $1,500-3,000 in avoided repair costs over 10 years."

When to Lead With System Rescue vs. Layer It In

Lead with system rescue when:

• Customer mentions their original installer is out of business
• Customer asks who will service their system
• Customer has had recent system performance issues
• Customer mentions concerns about roof leaks or aging system
• Customer is on grandfathered Monthly Netting (financial pitch is weakest)
• Customer is older and concerned about being "left high and dry"

Layer it in as supporting value when:

• Customer is on RNR-Instantaneous and the bill leak story is dominant
• Customer is primarily motivated by bill economics
• Customer is a "show me the math" type who wants to add up every value driver

Honest Caveats Reps Must Disclose

1. Takeover requires passing the site inspection. Top Tier reserves the right to decline systems that are non-compliant, hazardous, or below workmanship standards. Customer gets written notice within 7 days if declined.
2. The 10-year Top Tier workmanship warranty is fresh coverage — but it only applies to the existing system as identified at acceptance. Anything added or altered by other parties afterward isn't covered.
3. Pre-existing damage isn't Top Tier's responsibility. If the customer's system has issues that pre-date the takeover and weren't disclosed during inspection, Top Tier isn't liable for them.
4. Manufacturer warranties on equipment have their own terms. Top Tier doesn't extend or replace SolarEdge, Enphase, or panel manufacturer warranties — but handles the claim process when equipment fails within those warranty terms.
5. Out-of-warranty replacements still cost money. If an inverter fails after its manufacturer warranty has expired (e.g., year 13 on a 12-year warranty), the customer still pays for the replacement equipment — Top Tier handles the work but isn't covering the cost of the new inverter.
6. System rescue requires the battery install. This isn't a service Top Tier sells separately. The battery integration is what creates the basis for taking over the system.

Federal Tax Credit Status (Important for All Customers)

The federal residential ITC for direct-purchase solar/battery EXPIRED December 31, 2025.

This is critical for reps to understand because customers may have heard about the 30% tax credit and expect it. It's gone for direct purchases as of January 1, 2026.

What still exists:

• Commercial ITC for third-party-owned systems (lease/PPA models)
• Georgia property tax assessment treatment (varies by county)

What's gone:

• 30% federal tax credit for purchased systems
• This represents ~$5,000-7,500 of lost incentive value on a typical $17,000 install

How to handle the conversation:

"You may have heard about the 30% federal tax credit. Unfortunately, that expired at the end of 2025 for direct purchases. Some lease and PPA models still qualify because the leasing company can claim a commercial credit. But for cash or financed purchases like ours, the federal credit is no longer available. The trade-off: you own the asset directly, no monthly lease payment."

This is honest and disarms customers who might be expecting a credit that doesn't exist.

Loan Economics

Service Finance loan structure (verify exact terms with operations).

Important: Service Finance does NOT allow re-amortization. Lump sum payments shorten the loan term but do not lower the monthly payment.

For customers who eventually receive a VPP rebate ($3,750-10,000 depending on track and tier), the rebate can be applied to loan principal — shortens the term, doesn't lower the monthly payment.

Battery Products

Top Tier offers five batteries across two configurations. In Georgia Power territory the standard configuration is self-consumption only (no backup) — driven by the economics of the Georgia pitch, where the bill leak problem is solved without the additional cost of backup hardware. If a customer specifically requires backup, the Tesla or Franklin specialty options are available — discuss with operations.

Standard batteries — pair with the customer's existing inverter:

• SolarEdge Home Battery (9.7 kWh / 5 kW continuous, 10-year manufacturer warranty) — pairs with SolarEdge inverters; DC-coupled; cheapest entry. 5 kW continuous limits backup loads to essentials if backup is ever added.
• 2× Enphase IQ Battery 5P (10 kWh total / 10 kW continuous, 15-year manufacturer warranty) — pairs with Enphase microinverters; AC-coupled; 10 kW continuous output supports more backup loads simultaneously than SolarEdge.
• SolarEdge Nexis Battery (9.7 kWh / 7 kW continuous, 10-year manufacturer warranty) — pairs with SolarEdge inverters; DC-coupled; modular — expand block by block as the customer's needs grow. Backup configuration pending crew training; currently self-consumption only.

Specialty backup-capable options — for customers who explicitly want backup:

• Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh / 11.5 kW continuous, 10-year manufacturer warranty) — AC-couples onto an existing solar system regardless of inverter brand; built-in inverter, no separate gateway; highest continuous output; whole-home backup viable. Sizing nuance: each PW3 supports roughly 7.68 kW of existing AC inverter output — larger arrays need a second unit or solar production gets throttled.
• Franklin aPower 2 (15 kWh / 10 kW continuous, 15-year manufacturer warranty) — AC-coupled, works with any inverter brand; largest capacity in the lineup; strong warranty story; no per-unit sizing ratio.

All five batteries meet typical VPP program requirements:

• 10+ year defect warranty
• DERMS-ready / OpenADR compatible (utility dispatch capable)

Customer Qualification Questions

Adapt these for Georgia Power customers:

1. "What's your highest bill been in the last 12 months?" Surfaces winter pain.
2. "What size solar system do you have?" Confirms 100% offset profile.
3. "When was your solar installed?" Determines RNR program tier (pre or post July 2021).
4. "Who installed your solar? Are they still in business?" Confirms orphaned status.
5. "Do you have access to your solar monitoring? Can you see daily production?" Diagnostic.
6. "Are you on Smart Usage, standard residential, or do you know?" Informs rate switch pitch.
7. "How important is backup power to you?" If very important, this isn't the product.
8. "Are you familiar with Georgia Power's net metering rules and how they changed in 2021?" Tests sophistication.
9. "Are you comfortable with your total monthly cost going up by $30 for the first few years if it means saving $60K+ long-term?" Direct test of customer fit.

Sell Hard, Sell Honest

Price, savings level, and bill size are the customer's decision — not the rep's. A customer who wants the product for any honest reason is a good sale. The only hard stops are integrity and legal:

• Never misrepresent savings, payback, rate increases, incentives, or eligibility. The federal ITC expired 12/31/2025 — don't imply it's available. Don't inflate rate-increase projections beyond documented scenarios. Don't claim the Align Solar Protection service contract transfers to a new owner — it does not.
• 85+ confirmation call required. Customer confirms they control their own finances, no power of attorney over the decision, sound mind, ready to proceed.
• Financing ends before age 91. 75 → 15-year max term. 80 → 10-year max term.
• Honest cancellation window. Overselling creates a free customer exit + $1,000-$1,500 clawback to the company. Sell what's real.
• Certified before selling. Reps must complete certification before running appointments solo.
• Broken system = different conversation. If the customer's existing solar isn't producing close to design, that needs to be addressed before quoting a battery on top of it.

Required Customer Disclosures

Every quote must include:

1. ☐ Battery configuration explicitly stated — self-consumption only, NO backup power
2. ☐ Total monthly cost increases by $25-30 in years 1-3 due to loan payment exceeding bill savings
3. ☐ Rate plan switch to Overnight Advantage required to capture full value
4. ☐ Long-term savings depend on Georgia Power rate increases continuing post-freeze
5. ☐ Service Finance loan is unsecured and includes dealer fees (~$5,068 above $17,000 cash price)
6. ☐ Service Finance does not allow re-amortization — lump sum payments shorten term, not monthly payment
7. ☐ Federal ITC expired December 31, 2025 for direct purchases
8. ☐ Break-even on monthly cash flow occurs around year 4-7 depending on rate trajectory
9. ☐ System takeover terms explained — Top Tier issues a new 10-year Limited Workmanship and Roof Penetration Warranty on accepted systems (does not extend OEM equipment warranties)
10. ☐ Takeover contingent on passing site inspection — Top Tier reserves right to decline non-compliant systems
11. ☐ Inverter failure timing is statistical, not guaranteed — replacement costs of $3,500-5,000 are estimates based on typical equipment

For VPP-related discussions (additional disclosures):

1. ☐ Georgia Power Solar Plus Storage Pilot is approved but not yet enrolling — launch timing not guaranteed
2. ☐ Customer is not guaranteed access to the program (50 MW statewide cap)
3. ☐ VPP rebate applied to loan shortens term, not monthly payment (Service Finance does not re-amortize)
4. ☐ Income qualification for higher rebate tier verified by Georgia Power, not Top Tier

Objection Handling

"Will my monthly cost actually drop?"

"Your Georgia Power bill drops by about $180/month on average — and by $300-375/month in winter. Your loan payment is $210/month. Total goes UP by about $30/month in early years, equalizes around year 5-7 as rates climb, then drops dramatically once the loan is paid off in year 15. Long-term you save $60-127K."

"Why is the loan more than the system price?"

"$17,000 is the cash system price. Service Finance adds dealer fees that bring the financed amount to about $22,068. If you can pay cash or use a HELOC, those are cheaper options."

"Why am I paying $400 in January if my solar covers 100%?"

"Because the sun goes down at 4:30 in January. Your solar produces almost nothing after that, but you're running heat for 14+ hours overnight. Georgia Power's billing structure means you pay retail to buy that power back. The battery covers the worst hours so you don't pay retail anymore."

"What if rates don't keep going up?"

"Three things make that nearly impossible: Vogtle costs are baked in until 2045, Georgia data center load growth drove $16B in generation and infrastructure spending approved December 2025, and the rate freeze ends in 2028. Even at 5% annual growth — half the recent pace — you save $60K. Faster growth means better deal."

"Why don't I just wait?"

"Your bills compound while you wait. Every year of delay is another $2,500+ to Georgia Power. And if your inverter fails before you have warranty coverage, you're out $3,500-5,000 out of pocket."

"What if I sell the house before the loan is paid off?"

"Solar plus battery raises your home's value at sale. Your closing equity pays off whatever's left on the loan, so the new owner inherits a fully-owned system with no payment to take over. Most warranties carry over: Top Tier's 10-year workmanship and roof penetration warranty transfers to the new owner with written consent (we coordinate this at closing), and the manufacturer warranties on your inverter and battery transfer per the manufacturers' own terms. The 5-year Align Solar Protection service contract is non-transferable — the seller benefits from the inspection and 5-year coverage. The next owner gets a turnkey, manufacturer-warrantied system; you get a higher sale price."

"What if my inverter fails after you install the battery?"

"If your inverter fails within its manufacturer warranty, we handle the warranty claim — you don't pay for the replacement work. If it fails after warranty expires, you'd pay for new equipment, but we still handle the labor through our 10-year workmanship coverage on the install. Either way, you're not scrambling to find a service provider."

"Can't I get someone else to service my old system?"

"Try it. Most won't quote you. The ones who will, charge premium rates because they're inheriting liability for work they didn't do. Top Tier will only do it because we're already integrating the battery, and we issue you a new 10-year workmanship warranty after our inspection confirms the system is in good shape. That's coverage you literally cannot get from anyone else."

"What about backup power for outages?"

"This battery doesn't do that — it's configured for self-consumption only. If backup is important, we should talk about a different product configuration. I want to be upfront so there are no surprises."

"Why didn't my installer warn me about this?"

"Honestly, most installers in 2019-2021 expected the Monthly Netting program to expand. It didn't. The 2022 rate case decision and the 2025 IRP order made it clear the program is permanently capped. Many installers also went out of business in 2024-2025 as the federal solar tax credit expiration approached. You didn't make a bad decision — the market changed under you. Top Tier is showing up to fix what's broken."

What To Say · What NOT To Say (Georgia Edition)

Reading a Georgia Power Bill

The rate rider field alone can be misleading. Both programs sometimes display similar terminology. The reliable way to identify which program a customer is on is to look at how solar generation is calculated on page 2 of their bill.

RNR-Monthly Netting (Grandfathered)

Look for:

• Solar production deducted from total kWh used in the meter reading section BEFORE billing calculations
• Bill calculation pattern: (Total Usage – Total Solar Production) × retail rate
• Excess generation beyond monthly usage credited at avoided cost only as a separate line
• May rollover any excess as credits on next month's bill
• Customer's bill will show a much lower net usage number than what they actually consumed
• This program is active through December 31, 2038 for those already enrolled — cannot be added to

RNR-Instantaneous Netting (Current Standard)

Look for:

• Separate line items showing "Renewables Generation Credit" at $0.032188/kWh AND "Renewables Generation Adder" at $0.040000/kWh
• Combined total = $0.072/kWh on exports
• Customer pays full retail on all imports — solar production does NOT offset usage in the calculation
• Rate rider may show "RNR" or "RNR-11" or "RNR Bi-Directional"

The "Bi-Directional" label refers to the bidirectional meter, not the netting program. Don't be fooled — verify by looking at the calculation method.

Energy Offset Only

• No credit lines for exports
• Customer thinks they have a "solar program" but no credits appear on their bill
• Rare but exists — check if you see no export credits despite customer having solar

How rate plan affects the pitch

Quick-Reference Numbers

Accurate as of early 2026. Verify before quoting in customer conversations.

• Solar Buy Back rate (export credit): $0.072/kWh
• Standard residential retail: ~$0.14/kWh
• Overnight Advantage on-peak summer: $0.298/kWh
• Overnight Advantage off-peak: $0.102/kWh
• Overnight Advantage super off-peak (overnight): $0.022/kWh
• Smart Usage demand charge: $12.21/kW per month
• Vogtle bill impact: ~$14.38/month for typical customer
• Recent rate increase: 30.8% over 18 months (Jan 2023 - June 2024)
• Average current GA Power bill: ~$171/month
• Net metering cap: 5,000 customers, hit July 2021
• Current rate freeze: Through 2028 (storm costs separate)
• GA Power Solar Plus Storage Pilot: 50 MW, approved July 2025, launching TBD

Final Thoughts for Reps

Three things to internalize about the Georgia Power market:

1. The pitch is about stopping the value leak in their solar. Most customers are bleeding 50-80% of their solar value to Georgia Power's billing structure. Don't let them think their solar is "broken" — it's working. The utility's rules are taking the value.

2. System rescue is often the strongest pitch point. Many Georgia customers are orphaned by defunct installers. A brand-new 10-year workmanship warranty is something competitors literally cannot offer. This pairs especially well with the bill savings story.

3. Rate increases in Georgia are documented and consistent. Don't speculate about future trajectories — point to the documented 30% increase 2023-2024, the freeze ending in 2028, Vogtle through 2045, data center load growth, and natural gas exposure. The customer can draw their own conclusions.

The strongest Georgia rep is one who:

• Identifies which RNR program the customer is on within the first 5 minutes
• Can explain the bill leak math clearly using their actual usage pattern
• Tells the system rescue story with the specifics of the 10-year workmanship warranty
• Treats winter pain ($400 December bills) as the emotional anchor of the pitch
• Walks away from customers who don't fit the profile
• Discloses the year 1 cost increase honestly without trying to hide it

This document is for internal Top Tier sales use only. Update annually as utility programs, rates, and regulations change. The Georgia Power regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly — verify specific program details before quoting customers.