Last year, a typically sleepy state-level race sparked national attention: In Georgia, two Democrats notched a win at the Public Service Commission—the party’s first victory in any state office in two decades. How? Ratepayer frustration over spiking energy bills.
After the PSC’s 2025 special election, Republicans still held the majority (3-2). But in a few weeks, that could change—and if a blue stronghold emerges, commissioners could crack down on utility spending and slow the data center buildout.
Who’s on the ballot:
Fitz Johnson (R), who served on the PSC from 2021-2025, and 2025 winner Peter Hubbard (D), are running for District 3. This small but densely populated region includes the city of Atlanta.
Shelia Edwards (D), a business owner and community advocate, and Josh Tolbert (R), an engineer promising “technical competence,” are running for District 5. It covers a swath of northwest Georgia.
The background: The commission regulates the investor-owned, vertically integrated utility Georgia Power, a Southern Company subsidiary serving nearly the entire state. The company’s PSC-approved rate hikes added $43/month, on average, to residential bills from 2023-2025. That includes fees for the infamous Vogtle nuclear plant expansion and fuel cost jumps amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
The voter perspective: The PSC has offered some bill relief by, for example, approving Georgia Power’s plan to freeze base rates through 2028. Still, GA households “are already at the limit at what they can afford to pay, and the costs that they face are only continuing to grow,” said Nikki Luke, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who authored a book on utility regulation and energy affordability in Georgia.
The latest: Now, rates could continue to rise as Georgia Power scrambles for new generation to serve nearly 16 GW of committed large loads. In December, the PSC rubber-stamped the utility’s data center-driven request for almost 10 GW of new capacity (mostly gas).
This move drew criticism from consumer advocates and Commissioner Hubbard, who worry that some data center plans won’t pan out—leaving ratepayers with the bill for the gassy new gigawatts. The commission faced similar backlash for OK’ing Georgia Power’s secretive contract with Open AI for a planned 3.2-GW data center (a decision made without a direct vote).
Now, the PSC has some key decisions ahead. After the newly minted commissioners take office on Dec. 31, they’ll have a say on issues including:
Georgia Power’s request for another 2-6 GW of new capacity
Whether major data center contracts require a commission vote for approval
Cost allocation between large loads and other customers (including fuel expenses)
How a Democratic majority could shift the status quo: Both Hubbard and Edwards want to increase scrutiny of utility spending. Hubbard has also claimed that Georgia is “oversubscribed on fossil fuels,” and supports a state data center moratorium.
Why America should pay attention: If GA flips these seats, it sends a message to the country’s nine other voter-elected utility commissions: Bill spikes can sway voters to go blue.
“In Georgia, people are finding out they have a voice,” said Tommy Turner, a consultant who has researched the costs of the state’s data center expansion. “The commissioners are seeing they need to listen.” 👂