by Stanley Dunlap, Georgia Recorder
June 17, 2025

Clayton County father of three Arterio Clements said he felt sticker shock after receiving a $400 electric bill while also paying more for other expenses such as homeowner’s insurance.

The 46-year-old Riverdale resident voted Friday for Robert Jones, a former utility executive in California in the Democratic primary for the Georgia Public Service Commission. But he said he will support whoever the Democratic nominee is this fall.

“I can’t believe how much my bill has gone up,” Clements said. “I’m doing everything I can to save money. Nothing’s going to change unless we can send a message (this) election.”

Clements’ frustration is common among many Georgians who have watched state regulators approve a series of Georgia Power rate hikes and sign off on the utility’s increased reliance on fossil fuel sources in recent years.

Even so, turnout has been ultra low in the primary election for a pair of commission races on the ballot this year. After three weeks of early voting, turnout sits at 1% – with about 75,000 voters casting a ballot so far. Tuesday is the last chance to vote in the primaries.

This year’s commission races represent the first time since 2020 that voters will have a chance to change the makeup of the panel. The elections were delayed for several years due to a lawsuit challenging the statewide method for the district-based seats, which plaintiffs argued dilutes the strength of Black voters.

The commissioners have faced criticism for allowing Georgia Power to raise rates by an average of $43 per month since 2023.

Georgia’s polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the Republican and Democratic primaries that will decide who will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.

A runoff will be held July 15 between the top two vote-getters in the Democratic District 3 race if nobody receives more than 50% of votes Tuesday.

The winners of November’s election will begin their term in a year when commissioners are expected to consider requests from Georgia Power to recoup costs from storm damage and overrun fuel costs. These expenses fall outside of the proposed rate freeze announced last month.

On Tuesday’s District 3 Democratic primary ballot, three candidates are vying to challenge Republican Commissioner Fitz Johnson later this year. The Democratic candidates are Keisha Waites, a former Atlanta City Council member and ex-state representative; Peter Hubbard, founder of the clean nonprofit Center for Energy Solutions; and Robert Jones, a former utility executive in California.

Commissioners are normally elected to six-year terms, but the winners in this year’s elections will serve shorter terms to get things back on schedule after the delay. The District 3 winner will be up for election again next year, while the District 2 seat is set to go back up in 2030.

Candidates must live in a given district but are elected statewide, meaning Georgians across the state decide who represents a district on the commission.

In the District 2 Republican primary, incumbent Commissioner Tim Echols is seeking re-election to serve a third term against Lee Muns. The winner of the GOP primary will face Savannah Democrat Alicia M. Johnson in November. District 2 includes a large swath of east Georgia.

The metro Atlanta Democratic primary was upended June 11 when likely frontrunner Daniel Blackman was disqualified for not meeting the commission’s residency requirement. Candidates must live within the boundaries of the district for 12 months to be eligible to run for office.

The ruling means that Blackman’s votes will not be counted, potentially resulting in thousands of ballots being discarded. Voters in Georgia will be notified of Blackman’s eligibility by signs posted in voting precincts Tuesday.

In 2020, Blackman came close to winning a seat on the commission, later going on to serve as the Environmental Protection Agency’s Southeast regional administrator under the Biden administration.

Atlanta’s Joe Hornbuckle said he was aware of Blackman’s ineligibility when he voted Friday in the Democratic primary. The EMT said he’s worried about the long-term damage to the environment if state regulators allow Georgia Power to continue investing in fossil fuel energy sources.

“Why are we still using coal if there’s a way for other options that would be better,” Hornbuckle said. “I’m not the biggest expert on something like this but it makes sense to me.”

Later this summer, the commission will make key decisions on Georgia Power’s plan to invest heavily in fossil fuels and renewable energy to meet what the utility says is its forecasted demand, which is primarily driven by data centers.

Additionally, the commission is set to hold a June hearing on Georgia Power’s request to freeze its base electric rates for the next three years.

Kennesaw State University professor of political science and former Cobb County Republican Party Chair Jason Shepherd said the low turnout is disappointing but understandable, considering the election centers on a utility commission that’s not well known statewide by the average person.

Shepherd said he voted for Echols because of Echols’ efforts to promote the state’s solar and electric vehicle industries.

“Having a market-based view of green energy, rather than having the government force the hand, helps create all the incentives that allow for innovation,” Shepherd said Monday. “In addition, yes, it took forever to get Plant Vogtle online after overrun costs, but it finally happened, and that’s going to secure Georgia’s energy supply for the next several decades.”

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jill Nolin for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.

The post Rising utility bills, clean energy on the minds of Georgia voters as they choose energy regulators appeared first on georgiarecorder.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This content leans toward a center-left perspective as it highlights voter concerns about rising utility costs and the approval of rate hikes by regulatory commissioners, while giving attention to Democratic candidates advocating for change and clean energy solutions. The article provides critical views of fossil fuel reliance and features voters expressing frustration with current policies. However, it also includes balanced input from a Republican commissioner supporting market-based green energy initiatives, suggesting an effort at fair coverage while maintaining a slight left-leaning emphasis on consumer protection and environmental issues.

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