Georgia’s PSC and Georgia Power: Colluding to harm the people of Georgia
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Is your Georgia Power bill enormous? There are several reasons things have gotten out of control at the state agency that sets your electric rates – the Georgia Public Service Commission. In fact, things are so bad it appears they are at war with Georgia Power customers. Every decision they have made in the last four years has been seriously detrimental to customers.
The purpose of this essay is to share with you why your electricity bill is so high and ensure that you know what you can do. First, some astonishing facts:
On December 19, 2023, the Georgia Public Service Commission authorized Georgia Power to add $11 billion to their rate base, the largest rate increase in state history and in U.S. history for any state. This was to pay for Plant Vogtle, the nuclear plant in Burke County.
Georgia Power bills have increased over 30% in a little over a year. Added to numerous anti-consumer billing practices like hiding rates, fees, and surcharges from you on your bills, Georgians are likely paying the highest electricity bills in the nation, up from 5th place.
In April 2024, the same month Georgia Power was celebrating Plant Vogtle’s zero carbon emissions, the PSC authorized Georgia Power to construct three new gas/oil burning turbines. This expansion of CO2 means the U.S. is unlikely to meet its 2035 GHG reduction goals.
The legislature allows commissioners to take money from Georgia Power’s lawyers with business before the commission?!!? What?! There is no court in the land where a judge could take money from lawyers with cases before the judge and it should not be legal at the PSC either. It is corruption.
Legislators constantly say they do not hear from people, that Georgia Power has low rates, and so they prefer to “leave well enough alone”. Please make them stop saying that! There are several pieces of legislation that consumer advocates are working to pass this session to fix these issues. These three legislators hold leadership positions, and you don’t need to be a constituent.
1. Speaker Jon Burns, jon.burns@house.ga.gov. As Speaker of the House, he controls what committee legislation goes to. He usually sends legislation that Ga Power does not want to the wrong committee.
2. Representative Robert Dickey, Robert.dickey@house.ga.gov, chairs the Consumer Protections Committee and killed the Consumer Utility Counsel bill that would have re-established an important division that works to protect residential and small business interests at the PSC. Ga Power has lobbyists, big businesses have lobbyists, but there is no one representing consumers.
3. Representative Chuck Martin, chuck.martin@house.ga.gov. He is hostile to any legislation that Ga Power does not want and has killed solar energy legislation.
We believe that if these three men hear from enough Georgia Power bill payers, they will be open to passing legislation. If we do nothing, so will they. Even three short sentences will be highly effective. Something like this:
My power bills are enormous, and this has to stop. Please fix whatever is broken at the Georgia Public Service Commission or please stop allowing Georgia Power lawyers to donate to commissioners.
I am going to have to move out of my home (or be disconnected) because these bills have grown so high that I cannot afford to live where Georgia Power is the electricity provider.
Why are Georgia Power bills so high, and why does the legislature compensate Georgia Power more money the more they spend? That is the opposite of what we want. We want them not to build anything until they have exhausted all the other solutions which they are not doing. Please fix this!
Now that Georgia Power has built the most expensive power plant on earth, Plant Vogtle, they are moving on the next set of price gouging projects. Please speak up and send these emails so things do not get even worse.
To learn more, visit GeorgiaPowerRobbery.com
Article by Patty Durand, a past PSC candidate and founder of Cool Planet Solutions. To reach Patty, contact her at: patty@coolplanetsolutions.com
