Georgia Power customers are seeing a small reduction in their electric bills this month, but consumer advocates and energy experts say larger cost concerns may still be on the horizon.
Georgia voters will return to the polls on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, to decide several key statewide races that were not settled during the May primary election.
According to unofficial results released by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, runoff elections will be required in a number of contests, including races for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, insurance commissioner, labor commissioner, and Public Service Commission District 5.
Among the higher-profile runoff contests, Colby Maurin and Nabilah Parkes will face off in the Democratic race for lieutenant governor, while Greg Dolezal and John F. Kennedy advance to the Republican runoff.
In the Republican race for secretary of state, Tim Fleming and Vernon Jones will compete for the nomination, while Democrats Dana Barrett and Penny Brown Reynolds will meet in a runoff for their party’s nomination.
Several statewide races were decided outright in the primary, including the Democratic nominations for U.S. Senate, governor and attorney general, along with the Republican nominations for attorney general, agriculture commissioner and insurance commissioner.
Voters in Chattooga County and across Georgia who participated in the primary will have another opportunity to cast ballots in the runoff election on June 16.
Georgia Power customers could see slightly lower electric bills later this year under a proposed agreement now headed to the Georgia Public Service Commission for approval.
Georgia Power customers across northwest Georgia continue adjusting to higher power bills in 2026 as rate increases and infrastructure costs impact monthly residential expenses.
A bill advancing at the Georgia Capitol could bring back an independent watchdog for ratepayers as power costs remain a major concern for families and small businesses across Northwest Georgia.
A Georgia Senate committee has rewritten legislation meant to protect consumers from higher electricity costs tied to the state’s fast-growing data center industry, advancing a version that supporters say is less explicit about shielding residential customers. The Senate Regulated Industries Committee approved the revamped proposal after rejecting language that would have clearly barred utilities from passing certain data center-related costs onto regular ratepayers.
Across Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia, many residents say steadily rising Georgia Power bills are placing increased pressure on household budgets, particularly for low- to moderate-income families and seniors on fixed incomes.
Georgia Power customers may see some relief on their monthly electric bills later this year. The company’s president and CEO, Kim Greene, said this week that Georgia Power plans to file upcoming changes that would lower rates starting in June 2026.
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.