Published 4:57 pm Wednesday, August 21, 2024 By Sabrina Simms Robertson VIDALIA, La. — Another fiscal year has gone by and it’s time again for the Town of Vidalia to revisit its wish list on which it may spend excess revenue generated by royalties from power sold at the hydroelectric plant 40 miles south of town. The hydroelectric station, which opened in 1990, was the dream of former Vidalia Mayor Sidney A.
Murray Jr., though the town does not fully own it. It cost about $550 million from private investors to build.
However, the town is a co-licensee of the station and receives royalties from the power sold. These royalties capped out at 20 percent of the station’s gross revenue in 2022. The aldermen must vote and approve a list of projects for the year after gathering input from the public in two public hearings, per the town ordinance.
First on the town officials’ list is approximately $3 million set aside to rebate the town’s utility customers for their electric power, making the town have the “cheapest utilities anywhere,” said Mayor Buz Craft. “I don’t care where you go, you can’t get it any cheaper than that. .
.. Not only that, but we have better service.
I’d put our people against anybody,” he said. Craft said aggressive code enforcement, updates to the Vidalia Convention Center, and renovation of the upstairs of the hydroelectric building to be used as a museum and gift shop are also on his wish list. “I’m going to be asking for up to $300.