ATLANTA – Georgia energy regulators voted Thursday to put some guardrails around the proliferation of power-hungry data centers cropping up across the state.
The state Public Service Commission (PSC) unanimously approved a rule that allows new large-load Georgia Power customers using more than 100 megawatts of electricity to be billed based on the risks associated with their projects.
Data centers would pay the transmission and distribution costs incurred as construction of data centers progresses.
Also, any new Georgia Power contracts with such large-load customers must be submitted to the PSC for review.
Consumer advocates have complained that the rapid growth of data centers in Georgia is driving up electric rates paid by residential and small business customers.
“The amount of energy these new industries consume is staggering,” PSC Chairman Jason Shaw said Thursday. “By approving this new rule, the PSC is helping ensure that existing Georgia Power customers will be spared additional costs associated with adding these large-load customers to the grid.”
“We want to keep Georgia the best place to do business, but data centers will need to bear the cost of their electricity acquisition,” commission Vice Chairman Tim Echols added.
Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald said data center power usage will be among the issues addressed when Georgia Power files a new Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) later this month. IRPs, typically updated every three years, outline the mix of energy sources the Atlanta-based utility intends to rely on for power generation during the next two decades.