In Savannah, Georgia’s utility regulators faced public wrath over data centers

On Tuesday, Georgia’s Public Service Commission gathered in Savannah to listen to residents' concerns about data centers. Commissioner Alicia Johnson, one of two recently-elected Democrats, had pushed for the commission to meet in Savannah, her district, to better connect with constituents beyond Atlanta. The commission had recently approved Georgia Power’s contract with OpenAI, a major data center company, and implemented new protections for regular customers.

Many public commenters expressed worries about the OpenAI data center planned for Effingham County, outside Savannah, and demanded greater transparency regarding the contract. Bill Wright from Pooler criticized the commission, saying the group's loyalty should lie with Georgia Power, not OpenAI, as its name suggests. The commission acknowledged their limited role in data centers: they only oversee electricity generation and sales if a data center chooses Georgia Power as its utility.

The meeting also saw criticism over power bills, with Michael Hawthorne of the Sierra Club questioning if anyone felt electricity rates were reasonable. The audience responded with a unanimous "No." Commissioner Jason Shaw, the PSC chair, acknowledged the frustration and emphasized the need for transparency, particularly regarding OpenAI's contract.

He also highlighted Georgia Power's need for more information about its data center contracts. Some commenters accused the commissioners of not representing the public's interests, reminding them of an upcoming election in November. The two Democratic commissioners, Johnson and Peter Hubbard, have been vocal dissenters against Georgia Power, but their ability to shift policy is limited as part of the minority.

The next election will determine if the Democrats can gain a majority on the commission for the first time in decades.