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Associated Press
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Georgia Public Service Commission races focus on high power bills
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's Public Service Commission gets a rare turn at the top of the ballot in 2025, a chance to focus public attention on a regulatory body that sets rates and oversees generation plans for Georgia Power, which serves 2.3 million customers statewide. Four Democrats and two Republicans are running in June 17 primaries. Early voting has begun and continues through June 14. Georgia Power customers have seen bills rise six times in recent years because of higher natural gas costs, construction projects including two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle near Augusta, and other factors. A typical Georgia Power residential customer now pays more than $175 a month, including taxes. All the challengers are calling for change, while Republican incumbent Tim Echols defends his record. The five-member commission, currently all Republicans, also oversees some natural gas rates for Atlanta Gas Light and Liberty Gas. Through Wednesday, turnout has been microscopic, with 15,000 ballots cast on the Democratic side and fewer than 10,000 in the GOP race. What elections are taking place? There are two separate primary elections taking place. A voter can choose either a Republican ballot or a Democratic ballot. In each race, candidates must live in a certain district, but run statewide. In the District 2 race, Lee Muns of Harlem is challenging Echols, who lives in Hoschton. Echols has been on the Public Service Commission since 2011. The winner will face Democrat Alicia Johnson in November. In the District 3 race, four Democrats are vying to challenge Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson in November. They are Daniel Blackman, Peter Hubbard and Keisha Waites of Atlanta and Robert Jones of Brookhaven. If no Democrat wins a majority June 17, a runoff will be held July 15. Why are Georgians voting in 2025? Georgia usually doesn't have statewide elections in odd-numbered years, but these were pushed back after elections were delayed by a lawsuit that unsuccessfully challenged the statewide voting scheme as discriminatory to Black people. No Georgia Public Service Commission elections have been held since 2022 because of the lawsuit. Johnson was appointed to the commission in 2021 by Gov. Brian Kemp and has never faced voters. He was supposed to run for the last two years of his predecessor's term in 2022. Instead, the District 3 winner can run again next year for a six-year term, after lawmakers rewrote the terms. Echols was supposed to run for a six-year term in 2022. Instead, the District 2 winner will serve for five years, with the next election in 2030. Are votes for Daniel Blackman going to count? Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger disqualified Blackman from the ballot, ruling he hadn't moved into Fulton County, part of District 2, before the required year before the election. But a judge decided Blackman could remain on the ballot until the judge rules on Blackman's appeal. Blackman lost a 2020 race for the commission and was appointed by President Joe Biden as southern region administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency. Blackman said he moved to Atlanta in October. But he voted in Forsyth County in November and didn't switch his registration to Fulton County until April. Blackman said he's not backing down, though. 'There's a legal ongoing process happening right now,' he said. 'We have been deemed to be back on the ballot.' Do candidates believe Georgia Power bills are too high? Echols touts a three-year freeze in rates agreed to by Georgia Power and commission staff, calling it 'the most important thing the commission can do right now.' 'The inflation in this economy has been brutal and put many people in a difficult situation,' Echols wrote in a statement. But Muns and the Democrats running in District 3 argue bills are too high. Some of them say the commission will give Georgia Power a free pass if its approves the freeze. Blackman says the company should agree to extend the rate freeze to five years 'if they really want to be serious about addressing high power costs in Georgia.' Muns, who founded a construction company and previously served on the Columbia County school board, is among candidates who say the commission should lower the financial return that Georgia Power is allowed to earn on money it has invested in power plants and transmission lines. That rate of return drives the $2.5 billion in profit that Georgia Power contributed last year to its parent, Atlanta-based Southern Co. Jones, who worked for California's utility regulator, a phone company and Microsoft, called the rate freeze 'atrocious' saying it props up Georgia Power's rate of return. 'I feel the commission is not doing enough deep scrutiny of the operating expenses and of the financials of the company,' Jones said. Hubbard, a green energy advocate, said it would be cheaper to shift toward solar power stored by batteries, instead of building more natural gas plants. 'Renewables, battery storage, some of these other solutions, are the fiscally conservative, least cost, most economical options,' Hubbard said. Waites, a former state House member and former Atlanta City Council member, said she's not an energy expert. 'But I am someone that just like you works hard, and at the end of the day, I just want to get a fair return in terms of what my cost is in terms of what I am paying,' she said at a recent candidate forum.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Long-endangered Atlanta building getting new lease on life
A historic building that has been vacant for decades Downtown is about to get a new lease on life. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens celebrated the start of the 143 Alabama revitalization project on Thursday. He was joined by Joel Reed, Southeast Market President, Gorman & Company, and Eloisa Klementich, President and CEO, Invest Atlanta. The building, constructed in 1947, once housed the Atlanta Constitution and Georgia Power. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Phase 1 of the project will restore the historic structure and make the first floor ready for commercial use. It also includes converting the upper floors into 50 affordable housing units available at 30 to 80 percent of the area median income. Phase 1 plans includes 5,575 square feet of commercial space. Plans for Phase 2 include new 151-unit affordable housing building on the surrounding property. Once complete, the site is expected to add more than 190 affordable housing units to Downtown Atlanta. The 143 Alabama renovation plan is part of a larger effort set to transform 2 Peachtree, 104 Trinity, 184 Forsyth and other sites in Downtown. TRENDING STORIES: Former Spalding football coach sentenced for strangling his girlfriend Man accused of depositing check meant for GA county commissioners into personal account 'That's problematic:' Woman accused of taking money from homeowners instead of cutting down trees 143 Alabama, considered an Art Moderne structure, has withstood nearly 50 years of neglect, as well as demolition proposals, the The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation said. The historic building advocacy group said 143 Alabama was known as 'The Heart of Atlanta' because of its proximity to downtown Atlanta's historic railroad junction. Atlanta Constitution occupied the building from 1947 until the paper consolidated with the Atlanta Journal in 1955, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation said. Georgia Power moved into the building in 1955 and moved out in 1972. The building has been unoccupied and neglected since then. The building was added to the 2003 List of Endangered Buildings. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Early voting is underway for Georgia PSC races. Here's what you need to know.
Primaries for two Georgia Public Service commission races will take place on June 17. Early voting began May 27 and will end June 13. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder (file) For the first time since 2020, Georgia voters have a chance to decide who will represent them on the Public Service Commission. This delayed election comes after a lawsuit challenged the statewide elections used to elect commissioners, arguing it diluted the voting strength of Black voters. Despite each commissioner hailing from a specific geographic district in Georgia, voters across the state are eligible to vote for each member. This year, District 2 and 3 seats are on the ballot. The 2025 election comes as commissioners face criticism for signing off rising rates for Georgia Power customers. After June's primary election, winners will advance to the general election in November that will coincide with municipal elections across the state. With early voting already in full swing, about 18,000 people have cast a ballot as of Monday, according to the Secretary of State's data hub. The primary election will take place on June 17. Early voting began May 27 and will end June 13. If a candidate does not receive at least 50% of the vote in the primary, a runoff election will be held on July 15. Voters can check their registration status, polling information and sample ballots on the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page. The PSC is a five-member commission that is tasked with regulating electric, telecommunication and natural gas services. The commissioners' decisions and outcomes directly affect how much people in Georgia pay for necessary utility services. Their website points out that 'very few governmental agencies have as much impact on peoples' lives as the PSC.' Despite this impact, PSC elections tend to have low visibility and voter turnout across Georgia. University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock attributes that partly to limited campaign capability. 'I've often said that most Georgians [are] probably not fully aware we have a public service commission, don't know that it has five members, and couldn't name a single one of them,' Bullock said. With limited campaign finances and awareness, it can be tough for candidates to reach voters. As a political scientist, Bullock said he often uses the PSC as an example when trying to identify what partisan division exists in the state. He says that when people vote for the PSC election with limited knowledge they tend to fall back on their preferred party. 'Georgia is still more Republican than Democratic, so I think ultimately, probably the incumbent Republicans are going to win,' Bullock said. 'It also helps that once we get to the general election ballot, it'll have the 'I' beside their name, indicating they are the incumbents.' In District 2, incumbent Commissioner Tim Echols is running for re-election. If elected, this would mark the beginning of his third term as a commissioner. Echols will face Lee Muns on the Republican ballot. Alicia M. Johnson is running uncontested on the Democratic ballot. District 2 goes as far north as Hart County and as far south as Savannah. In District 3, which includes Clayton, DeKalb, and Fulton counties, incumbent Commissioner Fitz Johnson is the sole candidate on the Republican ballot this month. Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Johnson to the seat in 2021. All the action in this race is on the Democratic side right now, with four candidates trying to clinch the nomination. Daniel Blackman, who served as the Environmental Protection Agency's Southeast regional administrator during the Biden administration, is fighting to remain a candidate. Blackman was disqualified after Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger agreed with an administrative court judge that he did not have the adequate residency qualifications to run. A Fulton County Superior Court judge granted an injunction allowing Blackman to remain on the ballot for now. A hearing on Blackman's appeal is set for June 10. Other Democratic candidates include Peter Hubbard, who is the founder of the clean nonprofit Center for Energy Solutions, former utility executive Robert Jones and Keisha Sean Waites, who is a former Atlanta City Council member and ex-state representative. The PSC primary is a partisan election and requires voters to choose a Democratic or Republican ballot. The primary election will not occur at the same time as any municipal elections. This will not be true for the general election. For cities with municipal general elections also occurring on Nov. 4, different ballots will be offered for each election. The partisan nature of the primary election often contributes to low voter turnout. 'Many people do not turn out for primaries,' said Travis Doss, president of the Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials and Richmond County's election director. 'They do not feel that they have an affiliation with a party, so there's always confusion when it comes to primaries. People argue with us that they should be able to vote for both sets of candidates.' This was true for a Richmond County woman who recently came in ready to cast her vote but ended up telling Doss that she would not be picking a party. A 2020 lawsuit brought forth by Black voters in Atlanta delayed years of PSC elections and challenged the electoral process that allows statewide voters to elect district-specific commissioners. Plaintiffs argued that this is a violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and dilutes the voting power of Black Georgians. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately decided not to hear the case, and the at-large method of electing commissioners remains in place. Critics and consumer watch groups have continued to express concerns over rate prices, growing electricity demands and the spread of data centers. According to previous Georgia Recorder reporting, the average Georgia Power residential customer pays about $43 more to cover base electric rate increases, recover excess fuel expenses, and cover the cost of completing two new nuclear power generators at Plant Vogtle. PSC staff and Georgia Power reached a proposed agreement to 'freeze' base electric rates from 2026 to 2028. Critics have pointed out that Georgia Power customers could still see an increase on their utility bill after the approval of funds for storm damage and fuel recovery expenses. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia Power's plan to support potential data center surge with fossil fuel energy faces scrutiny
On May 27, Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tricia Pridemore, left questioned the analysis of PSC staff witnesses who argued that Georgia Power should lower its data center growth forecasts in its 2025 long term plan. Stanley Dunlap/Georgia Power The state's largest electric utility says it needs to significantly increase its energy capacity to accommodate a potential wave of data centers. Georgia Power plans to turn to some renewable energy to generate that electricity, but for the most part, the utility intends to lean on fossil fuel sources like gas-fired power plants to boost capacity. Those controversial plans, packed into what's called an integrated resource plan, received a public airing during three days of public hearings. Several clean energy advocacy groups and state regulator staffers urged members of the Georgia Public Service Commission to reject the plan. Commissioners are set to vote on the proposal in July. Georgia Power projects that over the next several years the growth of data centers will significantly increase the state's electricity consumption, and the company is requesting to add about 9,000 megawatts of capacity by 2031. According to the utility's forecasts, data centers will consume about 80% of the new power generated. But some have questioned the accuracy of those projections. PSC staff expert witnesses said this week they are concerned Georgia Power is using incorrect model forecasts. They also say the utility has not provided evidence showing that data centers are likely to materialize at a higher rate than other industries. Georgia Power attorneys say the company's forecast continues to grow based on the state's economic projections for commercial and industrial customers. PSC staff questioned the models used by the company that led to forecasting as much as 13,000 megawatts of peak load growth through 2044. The staff is recommending Georgia Power decrease its load growth projections for data centers by as much as 25%. 'Our recommendation is to adjust down Georgia Power's load forecast,' said Robert Trokey, director of the Public Service Commission's electric unit. 'I think it's important that they continue to file the data that they have been filing in quarterly reports. If we see trends continue over the short term as the projects roll out, then certainly Georgia Power should adjust its forecast methodologies.' Advocacy groups have argued that overbuilding the infrastructure could shift the cost burden to ratepayers. Public Service Commissioner Tricia Pridemore pushed back on the criticism, pointing to a recent rule change that requires data centers and other large companies consuming more than 100 megawatts of energy to cover their full electricity costs. The change included a provision allowing Georgia Power to require companies to put up front-end collateral for energy costs over the lifetime of the contract. State regulators would also review any contract for high-energy users. Georgia Power has come under fire for reversing plans to shutter a pair of coal plants, Bowen and Scherer. The company instead is asking that state regulators sign off on extending the life of the two plants and allow the company to ramp up its fossil fuel energy capacity. The utility had planned to retire Bowen and Scherer by 2028. Since then, Georgia Power has cited the projected industrial growth boom primarily driven by massive data centers as a reason it is now planning to retire Bowen by 2035 and Scherer Unit 3 by 2038. Energy experts and clean energy advocates expressed concerns about the company's potential overestimation of electricity demand and the underestimation of gas-fired unit costs, which could lead to higher rates. They recommended increasing planning flexibility, updating load forecasts, and exploring earlier deployment of renewables and energy storage. Their analysis compared different scenarios, showing that renewables and energy storage are more economical under various future conditions. Critics of the plan advised the commission to require Georgia Power to present additional research portfolios and improve forecast accuracy. The company was also urged to further increase its investments in renewable energies like solar. Energy consultant Maria Roumpani, who testified on behalf of the Georgia Conservation Voters, said that renewable energy and storage are much more economically viable than the expansion of gas-fired power plants. 'The analysis should focus on enabling earlier years of deployment for wind and energy storage, especially medium and low duration, as well as higher limits for solar,' she said. Clean energy and consumer advocates held a rally outside the PSC's downtown offices while the hearing was underway Tuesday, warning of the potential consequences if the commission rubber-stamps Georgia Power's long-term energy plans. The five-member utility regulator is set to vote July 15. Hundreds of written comments poured into the PSC, many of them dominated by concerns about rising utility bills and health risks tied to fossil fuels. However, the three days of hearings began with public comments expressing split reactions to Georgia Power and its energy plans. The long-term energy generation plan is receiving support from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and local chamber officials such as Timothy Craig, director of business development of Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce. Craig told commissioners that he felt the company's energy plan provides the necessary infrastructure to continue providing reliable electricity to businesses. 'One of the first questions small business owners want to ask is: can I count on the systems that support my business?' Craig said this week. 'Energy is at the top of that list. Whether it's a local bakery or high tech firm, reliable energy is essential. Georgia Power's plan delivers that reliability.' Retired educator Bette Holland, founder of North Georgia Conservation Coalition, said it's important that state regulators accept the science that shows that burning coal, oil and natural gas detrimentally increases the earth's temperature. 'Solar and wind are much cheaper than fossil fuels to create energy,' Holland said. 'The only thing that stops us are the energy companies and regulators who bow to the pressure of the fossil fuel companies. Please begin to think about the survival of the people in Georgia, in this country, on this planet, and about the survival of our natural resources in our wildlife.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Georgia PSC candidate removed from ballot says he's appealing
Daniel Blackman says he's appealing a decision to remove him from the primary ballot for the Georgia Public Service Commission in District 3. The Democrat was ruled ineligible to run for office because he doesn't reside in the district, according to an order issued Tuesday by Judge Dominic Capraro of the Georgia Office of the State Administrative Hearings. Capraro's ruling said Blackman failed to 'meet his burden to demonstrate that he resided in Fulton County as of November 4, 2024.' PREVIOUS STORIES: Kemp supports proposed Georgia Power rate freeze, which PSC calls 'very big deal' for state In new agreement, Georgia Power says it won't raise rates for 3 years – but there's still a catch Clayton, Fulton and DeKalb counties comprise District 3. Capraro's ruling said Blackman 'introduced insufficient evidence to establish that he actually resided' at the property in Fulton County. 'Other than the Respondent's own testimony, there is no evidence that the property was the Respondent's residence. ... He did not register to vote there, or anywhere in Fulton County, until April 2025.' Blackman said he's not giving up. 'While I respectfully disagree with the ruling, I want to be clear: I am not stepping away,' he said in a statement posed to his campaign website. The state's ruling said that there is no evidence that Blackman has stopped living at the home he continues to own in Forsyth County. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Blackman said he disagreed with the ruling, but didn't address the issues raised by the state. Instead, his statement addressed the importance of the primary. 'I entered this race because I believe Georgia deserves a regulator who puts people over profits, and transparency over politics,' Blackman said. 'That belief hasn't changed. If anything, the events of the last few days have only deepened my commitment.' Among its duties, the Georgia Public Service Commission helps oversee what people in Georgia pay for utilities such as electric, telephones and natural gas. The five commissioners of the PSC are elected statewide and serve staggered six-year terms. Early voting for the PSC special primary for Districts 2 and 3 started Tuesday, the Georgia Secretary of State's office said. The primary will be held June 17. TRENDING STORIES: 'Life doesn't feel real:' Family mourns GA 9-year-old found shot in car Double shooting leaves 16-year-old dead in Southwest Atlanta A trip to a GA Burger King's drive-thru led to a high school graduate's dream he never saw coming A runoff for the primary will be held on July 15 if needed. Blackman previously served as Regional Administrator for the EPA's Southwest Region, and was the first Black man to serve in this position, according to his official website. With Blackman removed from the ballot, three Democrats remain in the primary for District 3, according to the Associated Press: Keisha Sean Waites, Peter Hubbard and Robert Jones. In District 3, Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson is running unopposed in his party's primary. The commission seat of District 2 is also up for grabs in the special election. That district is currently represented by Commissioner Tim Echols, who also serves at the vice commissioner and is running for re-election. He is being challenged primary by fellow Republican Lee Muns. Democrat Alicia Johnson of Augusta is running in the primary unopposed. District 2 is comprised of a large swath of east Georgia, including the metro counties of Henry, Rockdale, Newton and Walton. A lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in the statewide delayed the 2022 PSC election, necessitating the odd-year election. A federal appeals court found in 2023 that the current method of electing the Public Service Commission doesn't discriminate against Black voters. Check your voting status and look at your ballot on the Georgia My Voter page. The election will be held Nov. 4. A runoff, if needed, shall be held on Dec. 2. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
