Ga.’s newly flipped utility commission targets power bills, shutoffs, data centers
Georgia Democrats gained majority control of the Georgia Public Service Commission after campaigning on high electricity bills and the costs of expanding data center infrastructure. Incoming commissioners plan to examine data center cost allocation, while Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms has called for a temporary pause on state approvals for new data centers.
Democrats will take a 3-2 majority on Georgia's Public Service Commission after Shelia Edwards was elected and Peter Hubbard was re-elected. The commission regulates Georgia Power and sets residential electricity rates, with the campaign focused on rising utility bills and concerns that households could subsidize infrastructure needed for energy-intensive data centers.
The commission has already ordered an independent review of Georgia Power's methodology for billing data centers. Incoming commissioners said they intend to open an Affordability Docket examining household utility costs and how data center-related infrastructure expenses are allocated, while Georgia Power maintains that contracts with large-load customers protect other ratepayers. Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms has separately called for a temporary pause on state approvals for new data centers until consumer safeguards are established.