On Dec. 10, I attended the Georgia Public Service Commission hearing on the latest Georgia Power request.
Even before the hearing began, those of us preparing to speak sensed something was wrong. In the cafeteria, there was a sudden rush of activity.
Moments later, we learned that a deal had already been struck between PSC staff and Georgia Power that would allow the utility to pursue an unprecedented expansion of power resources, largely to serve an influx of data centers.
This expansion would add about 10,000 megawatts of new capacity over the next five years, dwarfing Georgia’s existing generation and shaping the state’s energy future. That plan still needs approval from the five PSC members, as recently reported by the AJC.
This push is tied to a much bigger issue that deserves daylight. Georgia Power’s proposal to nearly double the size of its generation fleet is driven mainly by demand from new data centers, not by the needs of everyday Georgians.
Families are fearful of rising utility bills
Credit: Courtesy
Credit: Courtesy
As a climate advocate, I’m used to setbacks.
It often feels like slow, grinding loss or death by a thousand cuts. Programs fall through, progress stalls, and we regroup. When the Solar for All opportunity collapsed, I was heartbroken, but I still felt some sense of possibility.
I believed we could keep pushing through community effort and persistence.
This decision feels very different. It is not a small cut. It feels like a dagger. Building roughly five new gas plants and other fossil-dependent infrastructure will produce huge volumes of potent greenhouse gases and lock Georgia into decades of pollution.
This isn’t something we can counter with efficiency upgrades or a few more rooftop panels. It is a choice our children and grandchildren will inherit.
During the hearing, I listened to more than three hours of public testimony. Every speaker carried a community with them. People shared fears about rising bills. Industry experts warned of risks to consumers. Many spoke out of love for their families, because they understand what this decision means for Georgia’s climate legacy.
The public’s message was clear. The risks of this plan fall squarely on everyday ratepayers for generations to come, while the benefits flow to a small slice of the economy.
Commissioners seem to have their minds made up
The PSC is scheduled to vote on Friday. I would love to believe in a holiday season miracle, and that commissioners might step back. After hearing their discussion, however, I fear the decision is already made. The timing, tucked into an incredibly busy period when few can follow the proceedings, seems to make the public’s voice irrelevant.
I left the hearing shaken. It is hard not to feel a loss of faith in the system when those entrusted with our energy future choose a path that harms both people and planet. Many Georgians are only now beginning to understand how powerful the Public Service Commission is, and by the time that awareness reaches a broader audience, this decision may already be locked in.
For those of us who spoke and for the many who could not be there, the hearing was a moment of solidarity. I am grateful for every person who showed up. Their courage made me feel less alone. Yet I am also grieving. In the story of David and Goliath, the giant won this round.
I write this with sadness, but also with the small hope that the commissioners will reconsider before their meeting. Georgia deserves a future built on clean energy, not one weighed down by decisions our descendants will struggle to bear.
Laura Iyer is the executive director of Southern Sustainability Institute.
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