Hidden Profits in Power Bills Are Hitting Black Southerners Hardest

The article examines how hidden profits in power bills are hitting Black Southerners hardest. Brionté McCorkle, who leads Georgia Conservation Voters, discovered that roughly $52 of her $233 Georgia Power bill was just profit for the utility company, which has one of the highest profit margins in the country at 22 cents per dollar paid. Across the South, where the largest concentration of Black Americans reside, utilities are averaging nearly 16 cents of profits per dollar paid by customers. This is significantly higher than the historic national average of 9 cents. The surge in data centers is driving massive new capital spending on gas plants and transmission lines, which utilities argue is necessary to meet growing energy demands. However, regulators warn that if data center demand does not materialize, residential customers could see bills rise by roughly $20 per month. The article highlights how residential users have largely been subsidizing industrial growth, as residential electricity prices have risen more than three times faster than commercial rates in recent years. Utility companies have also spent over $150 million on lobbying federal legislation around artificial intelligence, data centers, and energy regulations, making the industry one of the country's largest lobbying interests. Ultimately, the work of limiting utility profits could be the difference between a shut-off notice and a livable summer for many Black families in Georgia and across the South.