Georgia Power raised rates six times in three years. Its profit margin nearly quadrupled. A new report from IEJ and the Energy Equity Project documents who pays the price — and what regulators can do about it.
Between 2022 and 2024, Georgia Power raised residential rates six times — driving the average customer’s bill up $43 a month, or $516 a year. Meanwhile, the utility’s profit margin soared from 6.1% to 22.6%, one of the highest among investor-owned utilities in the country. That profit growth has come directly at the expense of customers who are already stretched thin.
The consequences fall hardest on communities with the least room to absorb them. Low-income households in Georgia spend more than 1 in 7 dollars they earn on energy — far exceeding the 6% affordability threshold. Black households face energy insecurity at a rate of 58%, compared to 40% for white households. From 2020 through August 2025, Georgia Power customers experienced more than 1.25 million service disconnections.
In November 2025, Georgia voters sent a clear message: two new commissioners were elected to the Georgia Public Service Commission — the first time in nearly two decades that challengers unseated incumbents. Georgia Power Play charts a specific, actionable path for what those commissioners can do now to lower bills, rein in profits, and expand access to clean energy.