On November 4, Georgians will choose whether we keep doing the basics that work: dependable, affordable power; growth that pays for itself; and planning grounded in facts—not slogans. That’s been the PSC’s compass, and it’s delivered real kitchen-table value.
PSC Commissioner Tricia Pridemore
What makes 2025 different is that voters will decide whether this course continues. On Tuesday, November 4, Georgians statewide will elect two members of the Public Service Commission in a special general election. Because PSC races are statewide, every registered voter has a voice. Turnout will determine whether Georgia keeps common-sense regulation that protects families and sustains growth.
This year, the PSC froze base rates to give families and small businesses predictability while we execute long-term upgrades. It isn’t flashy; it’s responsible, conservative policy that helps at the meter and at the kitchen table. Stability also signals to employers that Georgia is a smart place to build and hire.
At the same time, we’re making sure growth pays its way. Data centers and other large, high-demand users are part of today’s economy—but their power needs are enormous. New generation, transmission, and interconnections don’t appear out of thin air, and they aren’t free. Our rule is simple: if a big user drives those costs, that big user covers them up front. That protects families from subsidizing corporate buildouts, encourages smarter siting and design, and keeps the grid ready for tomorrow without sending today’s customers the bill. It’s a pro-growth, pro-consumer balance.
Planning ahead is just as important. The 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is our blueprint to keep the lights on tomorrow without punishing customers today. It keeps every viable resource on the table—nuclear, natural gas, and coal, alongside renewables where they make economic sense—plus storage to help at peak times and demand-side tools that reward efficiency. It also invests in poles and wires, storm hardening, and cyber defenses so the whole system is resilient. We build what works and retire what doesn’t, with reliability and the lowest reasonable cost always in view.
Georgians deserve more than slogans. Every major PSC decision happens in the open—public hearings, sworn testimony, expert analysis, consumer-advocate participation, and filings anyone can read. That transparency is how we delivered a rate freeze that helps families now, a user-pays rule that protects them tomorrow, and an IRP designed to keep the lights on for decades.
For members of the General Assembly, mayors, commissioners, and economic-development professionals, the PSC’s course sets the conditions for growth. Regulatory certainty helps land projects and jobs. Fair cost recovery shields households from underwriting private buildouts. Grid readiness—generation plus transmission—keeps site selectors confident and factories productive. On November 4, voters will choose whether Georgia stays on that path.
Georgia’s approach also fits into a bigger national picture. An America First energy policy—unleashing domestic production, fixing permitting, and rebuilding made-in-America supply chains—supports national security and helps lower bills. We’ve learned the hard way that offshoring critical energy components to adversaries is risky. A balanced portfolio built here—nuclear, gas, renewables that pencil out, storage that works, and a hardened grid—is cleaner over time, more reliable day to day, and safer for America.
Some critics want to rush to a single favored technology and squeeze out everything else. That’s risky and expensive. Intermittent resources have a role, but they still need firm, dispatchable power behind them—especially in extreme weather. Pretending otherwise leads to blackouts and bill spikes. Others gloss over where much of the “green” supply chain lives today—critical minerals, batteries, and solar components concentrated overseas, with fuels leveraged by adversaries. Energy independence requires balance, not blinders.
The PSC’s job is simple to say and hard to do: protect ratepayers while powering a growing state. Freezing base rates gives families breathing room. Making data centers pay for the upgrades they trigger shields homeowners from unfair costs. Advancing an “all-of-the-above” plan invests in what works—near- and long-term—based on evidence, not talking points. That’s the record. On November 4, Georgians will decide whether to continue it. These are statewide elections for two seats, and every registered voter in Georgia can participate. Mark your calendar, make your plan, and make your voice heard. Georgia’s energy future—and the bill on your kitchen table—are on the ballot.
Tricia Pridemore represents District Five as a commissioner on the Georgia Public Service Commission. She also currently serves as president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.
