The Georgia Public Service Commission is set to hold final hearings this week on Georgia Power’s request to approve nearly 10,000 megawatts of new energy capacity.
The request, which the utility argues is needed for reliability and economic growth, will likely come to a final vote later this month after commissioners hear from several groups, including environmental advocates, Georgia Power and commission staff, which is recommending the panel sign off on a smaller increase. Critics said the utility’s plan could burden ratepayers with future bill increases to pay for projected data center growth that may not materialize.
Georgia Power and environmental groups have clashed over who should bear the risk associated with the unprecedented energy demand forecast, which is heavily influenced by an explosion of proposed data centers across the state.
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