Alicia Johnson will become the first Black woman elected to a statewide post in Georgia that isn't a judgeship. She takes office on the state Public Service Commission on Thursday.
The Georgia Public Service Commission unanimously approved an unprecedented addition of nearly 10 gigawatts to Georgia Power’s ability to make electricity for data centers, a move decried before and after by environmental advocates.
Two reports by professional staff working for Georgia’s Public Service Commission say Georgia Power is vastly overestimating its need for new generation capacity due to the growth in data centers and that customer bills could rise because of that.
Democrats Peter Hubbard and Alicia Johnston ousted incumbent Republicans Fitz Johnson and Tim Echols from the PSC. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens won his second term easily.
Early voting ends this Friday in primary elections underway for a pair of Public Service Commission seats. All registered voters in Georgia are eligible to vote for each commissioner, no matter where they live.
Georgia Power announced on Monday that it has agreed to a plan with regulatory staff to hold base power rates steady through the end of 2028. But customer bills could still rise in 2026.
Monday is the last day to register to vote in the June 17 primary to fill two Georgia Public Service Commission seats on an embattled board that has faced criticism for a series of Georgia Power rate hikes over the last several years.
Several candidates are vying to defeat a pair of incumbent Republican Georgia Public Service commissioners in an election that challengers say will become a referendum on rising Georgia Power bills.
