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May 29, 2026 10:26 AM
LISTEN: Savannah residents with solar kept power after Helene, but federal cuts prevent further solar expansion as the city prepares for hurricane season. GPB’s Jillian Magtoto explains.
From left, Savannah alderman Nick Palumbo, resident Marc Thomas, and Savannah Mayor Van Johnson hold up signs provided by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy on May 27, 2026, in Savannah.
Hurricane Helene caused over 1.5 million power outages when it swept through Georgia in 2024. A week after making landfall, a few hundred thousand homes were still  without power. But Savannah resident Marc Thomas’ lights were still on.
“Our solar power kept us going with just minor discomforts through the whole period,” Thomas said. “We were able to take care of ourselves and help some of our neighbors.”
The panels were made possible through the Georgia BRIGHT program that began providing free solar panels to low-income residents in 2023. Formerly funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, it was cut last year as the Trump administration cancelled subsidies for renewable energy projects. 
That puts Savannahians in a tricky spot.
“Some of the federal funding went away,” Mayor Van Johnson said in a press conference hosted by the Southern Alliance for Clean energy on May 27. “You know, we have to recognize that times are changing.”
While waiting for federal dollars be reinstated, Johnson added that he will work with nonprofits to focus on smaller fixes, such as weatherization and home energy audits. 
Finding funding for more expensive items like solar panels will require bringing bigger players to the table. But for now, many in Savannah might still be relying on their solar-powered neighbors during storm season this year.
“We know if anything happens over the summer, we’re all going to show up at Marc Thomas’ house, because he has power,” Johnson said. “But we want everyone to have power.”
Jillian Magtoto covers the environment and climate in Coastal and South Georgia for GPB as part of a grant from the Green South Foundation. 
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