New PSC commissioner sworn in, making Georgia history for Black women
Democrat Alicia Johnson made history Monday when she was sworn in as the first Black woman to serve on the Georgia Public Service Commission, the state’s powerful utility regulator that sets electricity rates for millions of Georgians.
On top of being the first Black woman to hold statewide executive office in Georgia, Johnson is the first female Democrat elected to the PSC in its history.
A Savannah native, health care consultant and community advocate, Johnson took the oath of office in a brief ceremony at the PSC’s headquarters in downtown Atlanta.
Johnson was sworn in by Judge Kenya Johnson, the chief judge of the Fulton County Probate Court. She said she chose Judge Johnson because she is also Black and called her swearing in a “historic milestone.”
“For generations, many voices were excluded from the decisions that shaped our economy, our infrastructure and our daily lives,” Alicia Johnson said. “Today’s moment affirms that our democracy continues to move closer to its highest ideals: representation, accountability and service to all.”
Johnson will serve a five-year term on the commission after toppling Republican incumbent Tim Echols in November’s election.
She will be joined by another newcomer to the commission, Democrat Peter Hubbard, who defeated Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson. Hubbard took his oath of office in a private ceremony on Dec. 9.
Hubbard and Johnson’s terms don’t officially start until Jan. 1, but together, they’ll be the first Democrats elected to serve on the PSC in roughly 25 years.
The pair will join the commission at a time of heightened interest in the once-obscure agency.
The PSC’s most high-profile job is regulating Georgia Power, the investor-owned monopoly electric utility. On top of setting the rates Georgia Power’s 2.8 million customers pay for electricity, the commission decides the mix of energy sources the utility uses to generate power and the rate of return the company is eligible to earn on its investments.
Over the last few years, Georgia Power residential customers have seen their power bills balloon — the result of six rate increases approved by members of the Republican-controlled commission. Those high bills and the issue of “energy affordability” were central to Hubbard and Johnson’s successful campaigns.
Despite the Democrats’ wins, Republicans will maintain a 3-to-2 majority on the commission.
Johnson said she has already spoken with two of the Republicans she will serve with, PSC Chairman Jason Shaw and Commissioner Bubba McDonald, and believes she can work across the aisle.
“I believe that good policy is not red or blue policy — it’s people-centered policy,” Johnson said. “I’m committed to working with everybody that’s on the Public Service Commission, along with all of the staff, to ensure that we’re making the best decisions possible for the people of Georgia.”
In the short term, it may be difficult for the Democrats to provide immediate bill relief to struggling Georgia Power ratepayers. In July, the PSC voted to “freeze” Georgia Power’s current base rates through 2028, so any adjustments are unlikely until 2029.
But Johnson said there are other policy priorities she’ll be pushing for. She said she plans to appoint a consumer advisory group for her district, District 2, which includes stretches from her home near the coast in Chatham County up through eastern Georgia and into metro Atlanta.
Johnson also said she supports more guardrails on electricity costs for serving data centers, the computer server-packed warehouses that power artificial intelligence and the modern digital economy. Georgia Power has said residential ratepayers won’t be saddled with data center costs, but Johnson said she supports adding more layers of protection, possibly through legislation.
“I don’t want to pay for somebody else’s server farm, and so I don’t think any Georgian wants to take on that cost,’ Johnson said.
About the Author
Drew Kann is a reporter at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution covering climate change and environmental issues. His passion is for stories that capture how humans are responding to a changing environment. He is a proud graduate of the University of Georgia and Northwestern University, and prior to joining the AJC, he held various roles at CNN.
