Georgia Power customers complaining of rate hikes for the past two years will likely get temporary relief as the power giant reached an agreement with the Public Service Commission on Monday to freeze rates for three years. A public hearing is planned for June 26 with a PSC vote July 1.
However, the freeze could be circumvented next year when Georgia Power plans to come back to the PSC about how to pay for damage caused by Hurricane Helena and other storm systems that damaged parts of the state in 2024.
Officials had a plan adopted in 2022 for regular rate hikes over five years. For more on that story click here. The new agreement from Monday allows the power company to ask for storm cost reimbursement in 2026, which isn’t part of the original 2022 plan. Georgia Power customers would bear the burden of paying for the additional costs the company incurred from the hurricane and other storms, if the PSC approves.
It is uncertain whether Georgia Power customers would face immediate rate increases or would be hit hard after the three-year freeze with storm reimbursement rate hikes.
Georgia Power customers’ bills rose 11.5 percent since 2022, but they are likely paying much more as percentages are cumulative with prices rising during peak use in the summer. That includes 2.4 percent in January 2023, and another 4.5 percent in January 2024 and again last January. For a customer that was paying $150 month for electrical service, they are now paying around $169 now.
The timing of the rate freeze raised eyebrows as the primary election for two PSC seats are June 17. Tim Echols (R-2nd District) faces Lee Muns. Alicia Johnson is the Democrat the winner will face in November. Fitz Johnson (R-3rd District) has no challenger but the Democrats have four in that seat race including Daniel Blackman, Peter Hubbard, Robert Jones, and Keisha Sean Waites.
Officials said the timing of the agreement with the primary PSC election is coincidental.
Melody Dareing is a freelance writer for publications in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Germany. She is a former news director for Adelphia Channel 4 and WBHF Radio.