Georgia Today: Georgia Power wants more power for data centers; Senators to vote on extending ACA

Peter Biello: Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, Georgia Power fights for more electricity to fulfill its data center contracts. U.S. senators expect to vote on a measure to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, and the University of Georgia's plan to demolish a historic swimming pool faces pushback. 

Tommy Valentine: We personally have experienced a surge in communication related to this, unlike almost any other project we've seen in a decade. This is a place that the community really cares about. 

Peter Biello: Today is Tuesday, Dec. 9. I'm Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today. 

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Fani Willis

Credit: AP Photo/John Bazemore, File

Story 1:

Peter Biello: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will testify later this month before the state Senate committee investigating her. Former Gov. Roy Barnes is Willis' attorney. He says she will honor the subpoena and testify on Dec. 17, but he says the committee is politically motivated. 

Roy Barnes: It is in bad faith. It should never have happened. And I'll represent her to the fullest of my ability. 

Peter Biello: State Sen. Greg Dolezal says it's the committee's duty to investigate allegations of misconduct against Willis. 

Greg Dolezal: We wouldn't need to be here at all if the DA had not been stonewalling the committee for a year and a half. 

Peter Biello: Lawyers for Willis in the state Senate argued in front of the state Supreme Court today about whether Willis was constitutionally required to testify. The court is expected to issue a decision on that question by the end of the term. 

Story 2:

Peter Biello: Georgia Power is refuting an analysis by professional staff at the Public Service Commission about the utilities case for adding an unprecedented amount of generation capacity to power new data centers, GPB's Grant Blankenship explains. 

Grant Blankenship: Georgia Power says it's closed data center contracts in just the last year that require about as much electricity as produced by nuclear-powered Plant Vogtle. To land more contracts, the utility wants to add the equivalent of more than two Vogtles. But PSC professional staff tell the elected commission there should be no new power generation without contracts to back it up. They say, otherwise, regular customers could be stuck paying back billions for power no one needs. In their rebuttal, Georgia Power executives say being left without what they predict is the power they'll need for future data centers would, quote, "stifle economic development growth" in Georgia. They also acknowledge their predictions are risky, though they don't say for whom. The final PSC vote on Georgia Power's request is on Dec. 19. For GPB News, I'm Grant Blankenship. 

Story 3:

Peter Biello: U.S. senators are expected to vote this week on a measure that could extend Affordable Care Act subsidies. Meanwhile, Georgia state lawmakers are weighing their own options to make health care more affordable, GPB's Sarah Kallis reports. 

Sarah Kallis: Georgia Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones says Democrats plan to revive a bill from last session filed by Democrats. It would create a health care affordability program to lower premiums. 

Harold Jones: Not only do Republicans refuse to act, they actively ignore legislation that will bring solutions to these problems. 

Sarah Kallis: Republican state Sen. Ben Watson says Georgia should stick with the state's pathways to coverage program that helps those who do not qualify for Medicaid pay for health care. 

Ben Watson: But for the hysteria to — to get started here in the state is just unwarranted now and I think it's unwarranted in the future. 

Sarah Kallis: Consumers are seeing premiums skyrocket during open enrollment. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis at the State Capitol. 

Story 4:

Peter Biello: A Georgia Senate leader is resigning from the legislature to focus on his Republican campaign for lieutenant governor. Republican state Sen. John Kennedy, a Macon lawyer, has served as Senate President pro tem. He's joined a crowded field of GOP candidates and is banking on support from Georgia business leaders after helping pass a law limiting lawsuits and civil verdicts. He faces three prominent Republicans and a Democrat in the race to succeed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who's running for governor. Resigning will enable him to raise campaign cash during the state's 2026 legislative session. 

Story 5:

Peter Biello: A federal judge has struck down Georgia's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender people in state prisons. The ruling issued last week means that about 340 people with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria in state prisons can receive treatment like hormone therapy if their doctors deem it necessary. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's office appealed the ruling yesterday. Carr says he's willing to fight the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The law that bans gender-affirming care for transgender people in state prisons went into effect in May after sparking controversy in both chambers during this year's legislative session. 

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A lifeguard sits over Legion Pool. The nearly century-old pool is at risk of demolition according to a new plan from the University of Georgia.

Credit: University of Georgia Architects for Facilities Planning

Story 6:

Peter Biello: The University of Georgia is considering the demolition of a historic swimming pool to create additional greenspace on campus, but some preservationists are pushing back on the plans. GPB's Chase McGee has more. 

Chase McGee: Legion Pool was built in 1936, a New Deal-era project funded in part by the Public Works Administration. Naval cadets trained there during World War II and it was integrated alongside the university in 1961. Tommy Valentine is the director of Historic Athens, a nonprofit that works to preserve historic sites. He says it's an invaluable place for both students and Athenians. 

Tommy Valentine: We personally have experienced a surge in communication related to this, unlike almost any other project we've seen in a decade. This is a place that the community really cares about. This is a place where people learned to swim or taught their kids to swim. This is a place where people volunteer. This is a place where community organizations go.

Chase McGee: The university cites low attendance and reliance on student activity fees as a reason why it should be removed. For GPB News, I'm Chase McGee. 

Story 7:

Peter Biello: Admission for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights will be free for all guests tomorrow. The special admission deal is part of the Atlanta museum's celebration of Universal Declaration of Human Rights Day. The center reopened last month after a nearly $60 million renovation of its galleries and exhibits. Curators say the event tomorrow will celebrate dignity, freedom and human rights for all. 

And that is it for this edition of Georgia Today. Today, a new book by Georgia author Christy DeMeester hits shelves. It's called Dark Sisters, and it's a horror novel about conformity and being true to yourself. It's also the subject of the latest episode of Narrative Edge, GPB's podcast about books with Georgia Connections. Now that you have wrapped up Georgia Today, check out Narrative Edge. It's available in whatever app you are using right now. If you want to learn more about the stories you heard on Georgia today, check out our website, GPB.org/news. Make sure you subscribe to this podcast and send us feedback if you've got it. The best way to do that is to send it by email. The address is GeorgiaToday@GPB.org. I'm Peter Biello. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow. 

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