ATLANTA - The Georgia Public Service Commission denied a proposal last week to reconsider a massive expansion of Georgia Power's energy grid.
Georgia Public Service Commissioner Peter Hubbard filed a motion to decertify a megawatt resource center that Georgia Power plans to use as fuel for its energy grid expansion aimed at meeting the rapidly growing demand from data centers, just before the vote on Wednesday that was also rejected.
What we know:
Commissioner Hubbard's motion was based on decertifying a 797-megawatt resource and at least 2,622 megawatts of resources due to a lack of executed customer contracts, beginning with the combined-cycle units.
Hubbard says the gas-fired units are the most expensive resources in Georgia Power's expansion plan, and that other lower-cost options were not considered.
The motion was filed immediately before the Georgia Public Service Commission voted 3-2 on Wednesday not to reconsider its approval of Georgia Power's 10,000-megawatt electric grid expansion.
Democratic Commissioners Hubbard and Alicia Johnson voted to reopen the matter, while Republican Commissioners Jason Shaw, Tricia Pridemore, and Bubba McDonald voted against reconsideration.
The power company has cited anticipated demand from data centers as the driver behind the expansion. That demand has yet to materialize.
The backstory:
In December 2025, PSC voted 5-0 to approve the Georgia Power expansion plan right before Hubbard and Johnson assumed their positions on the commission in January 2026.
The new power plants are set to meet the total electricity demand of all households in Georgia; however, those plants will primarily power data centers.
The other side:
One of Hubbard's main concerns is whether the cost will fall to Georgia families and small businesses if the power need does not materialize.
"My proposal is not anti-growth," Hubbard argued in his motion. "It is pro-consumer, pro-law, and pro-common sense. We should not be asking Georgia families and small businesses to underwrite speculative projects without firm commitments."
According to state law, Georgia Power can start spending on its expansion projects and recover costs directly from its customers even if the demand never comes to fruition.
"We are talking about billions of dollars in costs that Georgia families and small businesses could be forced to carry for decades," Hubbard said. "Data center power demand may or may not show up as promised, and they may or may not remain in Georgia long enough to pay off the 45-year mortgage on these expensive new power plants."
Several environmental groups have opposed the expansion based on cost concerns. The expansion plan is projected to cost $15.6 billion.
What they're saying:
Georgia Power and other commission members have said that the expansion agreement includes safeguards to protect current customers from footing the bill.
The utility company has also agreed to pay for the new infrastructure through at least 2031, even if the data center growth does not happen.
Georgia Power argues that the plan will put downward pressure on rates, saving residential customers about $8.50 a month, or about $102 a year, between 2029 and 2031.
The PSC does not regulate data center construction but oversees how the state's power supplier provides electricity.
RELATED:
- Environmental groups oppose Georgia Power expansion powering data centers
- PSC approves Georgia Power expansion amid protest
- Georgia Power seeks $16B expansion to add 10 gigawatts to grid
- Georgia Power proposal could raise bills as company seeks to expand grid
The Source: Information in this report comes from prior FOX 5 reporting and Commissioner Josh Hubbard.