Georgia Power says it has dropped two new cases in front of the Georgia Public Service Commission that could shave a little off customer bills starting this June. The company estimates the average retail customer would see about a 1% reduction, or roughly $1.32 a month for a typical household using 1,000 kWh. The petitions target the fuel portion of generation costs and a separate storm-recovery mechanism that spreads large outage expenses over multiple years.
The two filings, a Fuel Cost Recovery case (Docket No. 56765) and a Storm Cost Recovery case (Docket No. 44280), were submitted Feb. 17, Georgia Power said in a company release. Georgia Power told regulators the two petitions together would produce an overall rate decrease beginning in June if the Georgia Public Service Commission approves them. "Delivering reliable and affordable electricity to millions of Georgia homes and businesses requires prudent management and planning at every level, every day," CFO Tyler Cook said, according to Georgia Power.
Company officials told local TV that the utility’s storm reserve is under-recovered by about $912 million and that the company plans to recoup the shortfall over the next four years. Nearly $800 million of that under-recovery stems from damage tied to Hurricane Helene in 2024, which Georgia Power has called its most destructive storm, as reported by WSB-TV. The utility says expected fuel savings should more than offset storm costs and produce the modest net reduction for customers, if regulators concur.
Georgia Power’s filing lists detailed Helene damage, including more than 12,200 power poles, over 1,500 miles of lines and nearly 5,000 transformers damaged or destroyed, and stresses that fuel charges are treated as pass-through costs the company does not profit from. The utility said its diverse generation mix and strategic fuel hedging helped reduce the fuel portion of bills, creating room for an overall cut if the PSC signs off. Those figures and the company’s proposed recovery plan are laid out in the filing and release from Georgia Power.
What it means for customers
The change would affect the fuel and storm-recovery portions of bills rather than base rates, which Georgia Power and the PSC previously agreed to keep frozen through at least 2028. The filings will be reviewed through the PSC’s standard process, including staff analysis and opportunities for intervenors or consumer advocates to comment or request hearings. Track Docket Nos. 56765 and 44280 on the Georgia Public Service Commission website for official notices and hearing dates, according to the Georgia Public Service Commission.
Timeline and what to watch next
Georgia Power plans to recover storm costs over the next four years if the commission approves that timeline, but the PSC review could change the schedule or the amount recovered. Expect public comment periods, staff audits and possible hearings in the months ahead as intervenors weigh in and regulators review cost details. Initial reporting on the filings and the company’s estimates is available from WSB-TV and the company’s release.
