Georgia Power customers who were hoping the Georgia Public Service Commission would deny Georgia Power’s request for a 12% rate increase did not get any good news last week.  Georgia’s Public Service Commission voted to allow the rate increase – and Georgia Power isn’t through asking for more money.

The public service commission agreed to a  $1.8 billion Georgia Power rate increase in a 4-1 vote.  The lone public service commissioner who voted against the increase was Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald who represents North Georgia – including Chattooga County – on the public service commission.

Georgia Power says that this increase is because they need to update aging infrastructure in the state.

With this increase, Georgia Power says residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity will see their bills go up by $3.60 a month in January. That’s an increase of 2.8% over the $128 such customers now pay. Increases of roughly 4.5% would follow in both 2024 and 2025, pushing bills to around $144 a month.

Georgia Power has plans to ask for another rate increase early next year.  That increase is because of higher natural gas prices, according to the power company.