Opponents of a proposal by Georgia Power to add more biomass to the utility’s electrical generating portfolio argued Thursday the plan is both unreliable and too expensive. Georgia Power is seeking approval from the state Public Service Commission (PSC) to buy about 80 megawatts of electricity from three plants in South Georgia that burn wood chips from waste generated by logging operations.

The Georgia Public Service Commission is set to vote Sept. 17 on Georgia Power’s proposal to burn wood pellets and other organic materials to generate energy and has raised environmental concerns and high costs being passed on to customers.

With pulp and paper mills going out of business in large numbers due to intense foreign competition, demand for timber is on the decline — prices for wood are down to levels not seen since the 1970s.

In Europe, engineers are planning to send a plywood-sheathed satellite into orbit to test how well the venerable construction material holds up in space.