Ossoff investigating how AI data centers are impacting rising power bills in Georgia

Georgia U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff says his office is investigating whether artificial intelligence data centers have an impact on rising power bills in the state and around the country.

The senator, who is running for reelection in November, sent a letter to Laura Swett, the chairman of the Federal Energy Reserve Commission, announcing the investigation on Monday.

In the letter, Ossoff said that Georgians have been "suffering from sky-high power bills," arguing that additional data centers and other large customers could pass on more costs to families if safeguards are not put in place.

"Since 2019, Georgia has seen over $4.5 billion in AI-related venture capital investments, and this booming growth in computing power creates massive new demand for electricity," Ossoff wrote.

Last year, the Georgia Public Service Commission passed rules that the five commissioners said would protect Georgia Power customers from paying for generation or transmission investments needed to serve data centers. But commissioners also approved a huge expansion in electric generating capacity by Georgia Power, which is a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Co.

The utility said fears of higher rates are misplaced, pointing to an electricity rate freeze and projections that data center revenue could reduce future rates.

During the last legislative session, lawmakers debated stricter rules to protect other electricity ratepayers from shouldering costs, but did not approve any of the bills focused on data centers.

Ossoff is asking the federal agency to address his questions regarding how it will make sure that technology companies "pay their own way" and what strategies it may implement if new data center construction raises utility costs higher than was predicted.

The senator has given the agency the deadline of June 1 to respond to his questions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.