Environmental groups sue over Georgia Power’s energy expansion for data centers

A coalition of environmental organizations, led by the Southern Environmental Law Center and representing groups such as Georgia Interfaith Power and Light and the Sierra Club, has filed a 42-page lawsuit in Fulton County Superior Court against the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC). The lawsuit appeals the PSC's December decision to approve a massive expansion of Georgia Power's energy infrastructure, totaling nearly 10 gigawatts of new generation. The environmental groups allege that the commission violated the law by failing to adequately demonstrate the need for such an expansion, which they argue is primarily driven by speculative data center demand and will impose an estimated $50 to $60 billion in costs on "captive customers" through 2075. Maggie Shober, research director for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, emphasized the critical need for transparency and thorough review of these long-term energy policy decisions. Georgia Power, through spokesperson Matthew Kent, countered that the PSC's decision delivers savings for residential customers and provides "downward pressure" on monthly energy bills. The utility had argued to commissioners that the buildout was necessary to meet a projected surge in energy demand from power-hungry data centers. Environmental groups maintain that if this anticipated growth does not materialize, customers will bear all the financial risk. This legal challenge follows six rate increases for Georgia Power customers since 2023, with Codi Norred of Georgia Interfaith and Light noting the struggles congregations face with rising energy costs impacting their community services.