Democrats spotlight high power bills in Macon event on first day of early voting for PSC
Georgia Democrats made their campaign message clear in this year’s Public Service Commission election with the start of their “My Power BIll’s Too High” tour in Macon Tuesday.
The speakers — PSC District 3 nominee Peter Hubbard, Sen. David Lucas (D-26), Rep. Miriam Paris (D-142) and community organizer and policy advocate LJ Malone — spoke at Carolyn Crayton Park, urging listeners to vote out Republican incumbents.
Hubbard, one of two Democratic nominees for the PSC along with Alicia Johnson, said the all-Republican commission has approved six rate hikes in the last two years, which he said added about $600 annually to the average residential electricity bill.
“We can bring clean, reliable and affordable energy to Georgia,” Hubbard said. “We can put money back in your pockets, not the pockets of utility executives. We can have a Public Service Commission that actually serves the public, and it starts with your vote. Georgia, it’s time to make a change.”
Hubbard, who has worked in the energy sector for 15 years, has been an expert energy witness before the PSC since 2019 and founded a nonprofit focused on lowering energy costs and accelerating green energy in our state.
“I’ve dedicated my career to fighting for a clean energy future and for a better deal for Georgia ratepayers,” Hubbard said. “I’m running for the Georgia Public Service Commission to bring accountability back to the PSC. When I founded my nonprofit, my goal was not to make money, it was to secure a better, cleaner, more affordable energy future for Georgia. It’s all about improving the lives of the people of our state, not about turning a profit. The same should be true for the Georgia Public Service Commission.”
Hubbard said the state’s overreliance on fossil fuels are a reason why the rates have hiked, arguing that clean energy alternatives like solar could lower costs for consumers.
“The reason why our power bills are going up is because we’re building fossil fuel infrastructure. We’re building more expensive resources than we should be doing,” he said. “Solar is the least-cost resource. It is a very bright and sunny day. We live in a very sunny state. I can hardly keep my eyes open. There’s so much sun here in this state — we should be using more of that right now. The thumb is on the scale for fossil fuels, with respect to this data center build.”
Both state legislators representing Bibb County, Lucas and Paris, framed the election as a chance for voters to push back against years of rising utility costs.
“For years, five Republicans on the Public Service Commission have let utility giants boost their profits by imposing rate hike after rate hike on Georgia rate payers,” Paris said. “(Hubbard and Johnson) will stand up to the utility companies, which is something that’s missing. No one’s standing up.”
“We can’t complain about it. We’ve got to vote,” Lucas said. “If you don’t go and walk into the poll, then you’ve neglected the most precious right you have.”
Malone tied the PSC race to environmental stakes in addition to affordability, criticizing the commission for stalled clean energy progress.
“Over the last several years, our utility rates have gone through the roof, and clean energy progress in our state has also stalled.,” Malone said “Why? Because the current public service commissioners are rubber stamps for utility monopoly impose rate hikes. They have added hundreds of dollars per year to our electricity bills, all while boosting the profits of dirty fossil fuel companies..”
The GOP has stumped for its own candidates leading up to this election too, with Gov. Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr, both Republicans, showing support for incumbent Commissioners Fitz Johnson and Tim Echols. Johnson will square off against Hubbard in this election, while District 2’s Echols is running against Alicia Johnson.
In remarks given last week, Carr called the two Democratic candidates “socialists who will make energy costs go up and reliability go down.”
Fitz Johnson said his opponent is “a big Green New Deal guy” during a speech last week and urged his supporters to tell their friends and families to get out and vote.
Early voting in Georgia runs through Oct. 31, including at three locations in Bibb County: the Board of Elections Office at the Macon Mall, the Theron Ussery Park Community Center, and the Elaine Lucas Senior Center.
This story was originally published October 15, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
