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A super PAC tied to the Solar Energy Industries Association is spending $250,000 on ads supporting Georgia Public Service Commission candidates Peter Hubbard and Shelia Edwards. If both win, Democrats could gain a majority on the five-member body, which regulates utility spending and customer rates as Georgia weighs major power investments tied to data-center growth.
The spending is being directed through the American Power Forward PAC, affiliated with the Community Clean Energy Coalition, a nonprofit led by SEIA senior vice president of communications Steph Bosh. The ads are set to run on digital platforms and connected television, including streaming services, according to Canary Media.
Hubbard, a Democrat who won a commission seat last year, must run again this year because of the state’s election schedule. Democrat Shelia Edwards is seeking an open seat. Both victories could create a Democratic majority on the commission, which currently has five members. The source report describes them as candidates more supportive of clean-energy deployment; the election outcome and how commissioners would vote on particular proposals remain uncertain.
The $250,000 commitment is the solar trade group’s largest election investment since last year’s federal budget law cut renewable-energy tax credits, Canary Media reported. It is small beside the spending in Georgia’s U.S. Senate contest, but SEIA says it selected the commission races because relatively modest spending may have more influence in a lower-profile election.
A commission facing major power decisions
The contest could influence how Georgia’s utility plans to meet expected electricity demand, including demand associated with proposed data centers. Georgia Power is seeking to build large fossil-gas plants to serve AI-related customers, according to the report. The Public Service Commission reviews utility spending and can shape which power investments receive approval.
The source report describes two possible approaches: building gas capacity around projected data-center demand, or requiring a larger contribution from solar paired with battery storage. The latter could offer an alternative to new gas generation, but the commission’s election outcome alone does not determine what Georgia Power will build. Decisions will depend on specific utility proposals and regulatory review.
Those choices have direct consequences for customers because the commission oversees utility rates. SEIA said the panel has approved six utility requests to raise customer rates since 2023. That figure is the group’s characterization of recent commission activity; it does not, by itself, establish the cause or size of any individual customer’s bill increase.
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Why SEIA chose these races
Georgia is among a small number of states where this year’s utility commission elections could shift party control, even as voters in nine states are set to choose utility regulators in November. Democrats won two of the five Georgia seats last year, ending an all-Republican majority. Hubbard’s need to seek another term and an open seat give voters a chance to alter that balance again.
SEIA’s investment follows a setback at the federal level. The budget law passed last year reduced renewable-energy tax credits despite the industry’s lobbying. Bosh told Canary Media that the organization took a “hard look” at how to build lasting political influence. She said SEIA assessed where clean-energy policy faced obstacles and looked for competitive races where limited funds could have greater effect.
SEIA has kept apart from a separate political effort, the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC, which has pledged $15 million for negative advertising against politicians it opposes over clean-energy policy. SEIA CEO Tim Pawlenty previously told Canary Media the trade group was “in the business of making more friends, not more enemies.” The Georgia ads reflect a targeted approach rather than a nationwide campaign, according to Bosh.
Election results and power plans
The races have not been decided, and the source report does not specify how the $250,000 will be divided between the two candidates or provide polling that would show whether the ads could change the results. It is also unclear whether either candidate would support particular solar, storage or gas proposals if elected.
The scale and timing of data-center development remain uncertain, as do Georgia Power’s eventual generation plans and the commission’s decisions on future filings. The supplied report begins to describe a commission action taken last December but ends before giving its details; no further description of that action can be confirmed from the material provided.
November votes set the balance
Georgia voters will decide the Hubbard and Edwards races in November. The result will determine whether Democrats can gain a majority on the five-member commission. The campaign spending and election outcome will be followed by the commission’s consideration of utility proposals, including plans related to growing electricity demand.
Any change in party balance would not itself approve or reject a power plant. The practical effect will become clearer as Georgia Power submits proposals and commissioners review their costs, projected demand and potential effects on customer rates.
Key Questions
What is the solar industry funding in Georgia?
A super PAC tied to the Solar Energy Industries Association is spending $250,000 on digital and streaming-TV ads supporting Peter Hubbard and Shelia Edwards in Georgia Public Service Commission races.
Why could these races change the commission?
Georgia’s commission has five members. Democrats won two seats last year, and Hubbard is running again while Edwards seeks an open seat. If both win, Democrats could hold a majority.
What does the Georgia Public Service Commission do?
The commission oversees utility spending and how much companies can charge customers. Its decisions can affect utility investment plans and electricity bills.
Why are data centers part of the election debate?
Georgia Power is seeking large new gas plants to serve AI-related customers, according to the report. The commission may review utility plans as demand grows, including proposals involving gas, solar and battery storage.
What is not yet known?
The election results, the effect of the ads, the eventual scale of data-center demand and the commission’s decisions on future power projects are not yet known.
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