Democrats to Hold Majority on Georgia Public Service Commission for First Time in 30 Years
ATLANTA, Ga. — Starting in January, three of the five members of Georgia's Public Service Commission will be Democrats, giving the party control of the powerful statewide utility regulator for the first time in 30 years.
In the November 3 election, Democrat Peter Hubbard won re-election and Shelia Edwards captured an open seat; together with Alicia Johnson, a Democrat not up for election this cycle, they give Democrats a majority on the commission, whose members serve six-year terms. The commission regulates utilities including Georgia Power and has drawn intense attention amid rising electricity bills and surging data-center demand.
The Democratic commissioners say they will focus on affordability, clean energy and strict oversight of Georgia Power. Hubbard's first priority is to open an affordability hearing process examining why bills are so high and how to bring them down, and to scrutinize the next rate case in 2028. Energy-burden experts note that bills may not fall immediately, but the commission's direction will change right away. Chris Womack, CEO of Georgia Power parent Southern Company, said he is confident the company can work with the new commission on affordability concerns.
Source: Savannah Morning News
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 佐治亚州议会大厦，位于亚特兰大。（DXR 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons）
