Georgia Public Service Commission approves Georgia Power’s request to bypass bill transparency hearings

ATLANTA—Today, the Georgia Public Service Commission voted to approve a request by Georgia Power to bypass a monthslong legal process that would have given the public and advocates the opportunity to examine the financials behind a historic request for new fossil fuel capacity that will cost billions.

The commission approved an agreement struck by Georgia Power and the Georgia Public Service Commission Public Interest Advocacy Staff that guarantees a bill hike while avoiding the utility having to submit what’s commonly called a rate case. In Georgia, a rate case is a nearly six-month legal proceeding where Georgia Power publicly discloses important cost information and asks commissioners to approve how long-term energy planning will impact customers’ bills. In place of the planned rate case, commissioners heard a single day of hearings on the settlement only weeks after the agreement was announced.

“Transparency and open dialogue are essential to building trust,” said Codi Norred, executive director of Georgia Interfaith Power and Light. “Many in our communities are worried about rising energy costs, and billpayers deserve to understand how these decisions are made. When corporate profits rise while families struggle, our faith calls us to seek justice and ensure that every voice is heard. We urge the commission to continue to find ways to include more voices in this important process.”

In response to their request for extraordinary load growth to meet data center demand, Georgia Power previously promised an “open and transparent” regulatory process. This is a complete reversal of that. The company also committed to a nearly $3 drop in residential bills. There is no evidence of that bill relief in this settlement.

“Everyday Georgians cannot be on the hook for Georgia Power’s data center spending spree,” said Bob Sherrier, a staff attorney in SELC’s Georgia office. “The next three years are very consequential for the electric grid and deserve much more scrutiny than occurred here.”  

Touted as a “rate freeze,” the deal guarantees residential bills will rise as early as May of next year to recover storm damage costs. Customers are also facing a potential additional bill hike from coal and methane gas fuel costs.

Georgia Power is currently asking regulators to greenlight capacity equal to nearly eight more Plant Vogtle nuclear units to meet the utility’s projected data center need. The cost of the additional capacity is estimated to be tens of billions of dollars, according to PSC staff testimony. The utility is not disclosing how it intends to meet most of that need, but through public statements and state filings, it’s clear that Georgia Power will nearly double its capacity with methane gas and coal.