Georgia Power and staff at the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) have reached a deal on a massive $16 billion power expansion that critics say will leave everyday Georgians paying the price for big data centers and utility profits.

The agreement would approve roughly 10,000 megawatts of new generation over the next several years, much of it aimed at serving the explosive power demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. Because Georgia Power is a state-regulated monopoly, it earns a guaranteed profit on new plants and infrastructure — and those costs are recovered through customer bills.

Consumer and environmental advocates argue the PSC staff, which had previously recommended a more cautious approach, has largely capitulated to Georgia Power’s wish list. Earlier recommendations called for approving only a portion of the new capacity now and tying more expansion to firm contracts with data center operators, so that the tech industry, not residential customers, would bear more of the risk if demand forecasts turned out to be too rosy.

Instead, the new stipulation backs most of the utility’s proposed build-out up front. In return, Georgia Power has promised to apply “downward pressure” on rates in a future rate case — language critics say is vague and unenforceable. Any possible benefit would not show up on bills for several years, while construction costs and profits begin accumulating much sooner.

Advocates say that in practical terms, Georgia households and small businesses are again being treated as the automatic backstop for Georgia Power’s spending, with little real protection against future rate hikes. They point to recent increases that have already pushed monthly bills higher across the state, while Georgia Power’s parent company, Southern Company, continues to post strong earnings.

The way the deal emerged has also raised eyebrows. It was dropped shortly before key hearings were scheduled, after months of testimony built around a more restrained staff proposal. That last-minute shift has fueled accusations that the PSC is too cozy with the monopoly utility it is supposed to regulate.

Adding to the controversy, the current Commission is moving toward a vote before newly elected Democratic commissioners — who campaigned on reining in rising utility bills — are seated. Once approved, the expansion plan would shape Georgia’s energy system and customer bills for decades.

Critics say the message is clear: Georgia Power’s monopoly status, combined with a compliant PSC, is creating an exclusive arrangement where the benefits of growth flow to large corporations and shareholders, while the financial burden lands squarely on Georgia residents.