Georgia PSC races could decide the state’s energy future

By EPN Staff

While Public Service Commission (PSC) races tend to fly under the radar, the stakes in Georgia on Tuesday are high. A shift in control could alter the trajectory of energy prices and reliability in the state for years to come.

The PSC regulates utilities like Georgia Power, setting electric rates, regulating the grid, and deciding what types of generation get built. 

Two of the five seats on the commission are on the ballot, with incumbent Republicans Tim Echols (District 2) and Fitz Johnson (District 3) facing Democratic challengers, Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard, respectively. 

Why it matters

The races come amid rising electric bills and record growth in energy demand from AI data centers, which have turned Georgia into the nation’s fastest-growing data center hub. This growth is straining the electric grid, and consumers are feeling the impact.

Republicans are emphasizing reliability and affordability through an “all-of-the-above” strategy that blends natural gas, nuclear, hydropower, and renewables. Democrats are pushing for a faster transition away from reliable fossil fuels to intermittent renewables like solar and wind — shift GOP regulators warn will drive up costs and make the grid more vulnerable to blackouts. 

Zooming in

While voicing support for the integration of renewables, Republicans have repeatedly raised concerns about the reliability of a grid dominated by solar and wind. Here’s what they’re saying:

• Commissioner Tom Echols said: “There’s been no greater champion on the Public Service Commission for solar than me. We need all of it, but solar cannot provide the power that we need in order to replace all the fossil fuel plants that we have.”
• Commissioner Fitz Johnson said: “You may have rolling blackouts like in California because your reliability goes out the window. You may have fewer jobs because businesses don’t want to come here, because they know, ‘If I go there, there’s a chance that my electricity is going to go out.’”
• Commissioner Tricia Pridemore said: “Intermittent resources have a role, but they still need firm, dispatchable power behind them—especially in extreme weather. Pretending otherwise leads to blackouts and bill spikes.”
• Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia GOP Chair Josh McKoon are urging voters to turn out, emphasizing that keeping a Republican majority on the PSC is essential to holding the line on electric rates and protecting grid reliability.

Meanwhile, Democrats have their foot on the accelerator.

• Peter Hubbard said: “I would very much like to see a 100% renewable energy grid.” 
• Alicia Johnson said: “I want to see more investment in infrastructure that accelerates us towards solar, wind, battery storage and other clean technologies.” 
• Johnson has been endorsed by Jane Fonda’s JanePAC, an organization whose objective is “to end the stranglehold the fossil fuel industry has on our lives and our planet by electing climate champions at the state and local level.”
• Georgia’s League of Conservation Voters has also poured over $2 million into the race.

Additional details

The Republican-controlled commission has made some notable changes this year to combat rising prices while supporting responsible integration of cleaner energy. 

• In January, the PSC unanimously approved a rule to allow Georgia Power to charge data centers more than ratepayers have to pay. 

• In July, the commission froze rates through 2028 for Georgia Power customers.
• It also passed the 2025 Georgia Power Integrated Resource Plan which adds 1,500 MW of battery storage, 4,000 MW of renewable energy, and invests in natural gas and hydropower. The plan will also keep open two coal plants that were expected to close – they are now projected to add natural gas co-firing as well.