| Legislative Update: Data Center “Consumer Protection” Bills |
| There are several bills moving through the General Assembly right now that claim to provide “consumer protections” from higher electric bills tied to the rapid expansion of data centers in Georgia. Here’s the short version: None of the bills currently moving fully protect residential ratepayers or small businesses from being forced to pay for the massive power infrastructure needed for these facilities. Some proposals simply maintain the status quo, while others create the appearance of action without actually preventing utilities from shifting costs onto everyday Georgians. And right now, there are bills, substitutes, and amendments moving quickly, making the situation confusing even for people closely following the process. Here’s where things stand as of March 4, 2026: SB 34 This bill is currently stuck in the Senate Rules Committee. Unfortunately, the version moving forward is the weakened version, which mirrors HB 1063.That language essentially codifies current Public Service Commission rules, but does not actually protect residential ratepayers or small businesses from paying for speculative data center power buildouts. HB 1063 Often described as the “status quo” bill, HB 1063 simply writes the current PSC rules into law. Those rules require large-load customers like data centers to pay their incremental costs, but only under limited circumstances. In practice, that means many infrastructure costs could still end up being spread across all ratepayers if the generation is not directly tied to a large-load customer. This bill has already crossed over into the Senate. SB 410 SB 410 originally focused on eliminating tax incentives for data centers, which is a policy conversation worth having on its own. However, on Monday (March 3) the Senate Finance Committee added the weakened language from SB 34 to the bill. That amendment turns SB 410 into another bill that gives the appearance of addressing ratepayer protections without actually guaranteeing them. During the committee hearing, the bill’s sponsor (Sen. Matt Brass) stated that protecting ratepayers was the “intent” of the bill. But intent is not law. Legally binding protections must be written into the legislation itself. The Bottom Line Right now, none of the bills moving through the legislature guarantees that Georgia Power and the Public Service Commission cannot shift the cost of new power plants and infrastructure onto residential customers and small businesses. That’s the core issue. Georgia lawmakers should pass a bill that establishes a clear and simple rule: Residential customers and small businesses should not be required to pay for the power infrastructure needed to serve large data centers. Without that protection written into law, Georgians could still end up subsidizing the energy demands of some of the largest corporations in the world. What Happens Next Advocacy efforts are making a difference, and legislators are feeling the pressure. Organizations across the state are continuing to push for real protections that ensure Georgians are not paying for the energy demands of large tech companies. The message is simple: Protect Georgians — not Georgia Power. You can take action today! |
Action:
| Protect Georgians from Paying for a Data Center Power Surge: TAKE ACTION You can also help to defeat these bad muddy water bills – learn more here from our friends at Protect Georgia: Learn More |