June 17, 2026 • 32 mins
In this episode, Knowa talks with Peter Hubbard, Commissioner on the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), about what he's accomplished, and how Democrats can win the midterm elections by leading with solutions and "receipts" on the issues voters feel every month.
We get into the real mechanics: how the five-member PSC sets your electricity and gas rates, why bills rose six times before Hubbard arrived, and how clean energy is a long-term cost play. Then the big one — data centers and the water-supply risk to Georgia communities. Plus the third Democratic seat with Sheila Edwards, the Keisha Lance Bottoms / Burt Jones / Rick Jackson governor's race, and the Trump administration's impact on your energy bills.
🗳️ Get involved: iwillvote.com • peterforgeorgia.com
If this helped you understand your power bill, please leave a review, share it, and follow the show for more Meet the Candidate interviews.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now you know and No de Brosso is a production
of iHeartMedia and partnership with Recent Choice Media folks. Today
(00:20):
we have an episode that could either one educate you
or number two confuse you a little bit. Let me
explain so bad. I don't know if you remember. Back
in twenty twenty five, everyone all over Instagram, atl Scoop Georgia, followers, Atlanta,
Black Twitter, everything altogether. We really made a coalition to
lower power bills in the state of Georgia, lower power
(00:42):
bills and focus on green clean energy in the state
of Georgia, energy to move us into the future. And
during that coalition, we elected two new people to the
Public Service Commission that are Democrats, Peter Hubbard and Alsia Johnson.
Now let me tell you about Peter Hubbard. Peter Hubbard
won the Public Service Commission race by twenty six percent.
(01:04):
Now let me tell you something about Georgia. We in
the country. So Georgia, despite what you know about Atlanta,
Georgia is country. And do you know what it takes
for a Democrat to win by twenty six percent in
the state of Georgia. In Georgia, this is not an
Atlanta election. A Democrat won by twenty six percent in Georgia.
(01:24):
So today we have a magnificent conversation with Commissioner Hubbard
about what Democrats can do nationwide and in the state
of Georgia to win by margins like he did, focusing
on kitchen table issues and a new a really a
new problem honestly that arise data centers. Now people are
all talking about data centers, which is such an important
issue for something like the Public Service Commission. So what
(01:46):
a wonderful conversation I had here today with Peter Hubbard
of the Georgia Public Service Commission statewide. All right, Peter,
how are you doing to eh?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Do good?
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Well? Look, I've been meaning to set up this conversation
for a while, so lie during the primary, during the general,
after you were sworn in, and then now now we
finally got a shout out to Dan for pulling everything
together and Peter's wonderful team and how he's collaborated with
the Georgia Democratic Party's been wonderful.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
So Peter, we're here in Atlanta, and right now as
we're speaking, I actually rolled up my stickers, so but
I have it somewhere it's early voting, and you were
on the ballot during the primary for a reelection, and
I want you to tell the voters a little bit
about your reelection and everything like that, and then we'll
get to the big stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I already locked in my vote on the first day
of early voting because I like to put it in
the bank. And I was on the primary ballot on
May nineteenth, but ran unopposed, and so it's the easiest
election I've ever run. I wish they could all be
like that, but I had to work to get here.
I did a primary runoff and a general last year year.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Gift primary and runoff last year, wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
That's right? And I think it'll be hard fought again
even this year. And now you know, I know that
I'm an incumbent, but I'll be on the ballot this
November third, facing the same gentleman that I unseated last year.
So I'm feeling pretty good about my chances. I think
the work that we're doing at the Commission is good.
And frankly, you know, we just need someone who's paying
attention and digging into the details, and I am doing
(03:15):
that at the Commission.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Absolutely well, look, you also last time we spoke, you
were figuring out who you're going to run with. Tell
us a little bit about the nominee that won for
the other Public Service Commission seat.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
For sure.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
So I think Democrats did a good job of putting
forward great candidates. And Sheila Edwards was in that primary
runoff or sorry, she voided a runoff because she cleared
the fifty percent, So I already knew who I'm running
with that Sheila Edwards, and she would be that third
Democratic seat on the Public Service Commission and a consumer advocate.
So it is we're going to link arms and cross
(03:48):
that finish line together, she Ledwards and myself.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Definitely, that's wonderful. So look now it's the real conversation, Peter.
You know what time it is Georgia voters want to know. So,
for example, we were very serious everyone, even the politically disengage,
We're very serious about getting power bills lower. What does
the Public Service Commission actually do?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, the Public Service Commission in Georgia is an elective
body of five folks, and they regulate how much you
pay on.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Your power bill.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
If you pay a Georgia Power Company bill or an
Atlanta gas slight or really a gas bill, and they
determine where that energy comes from. So when we're talking
about data centers, they can be powered with all kinds
of things, nukes, solar gas, but we determine where that
energy comes from in this long term planning process. And
it gets into the weeds a little bit, but it's
(04:35):
incredibly important because the decisions that we make today have
an impact on your power bills for a long time.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Absolutely in the Georgia Public Service Commission. How important would
you say that is to someone who isn't even politically engaged.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I mean, every time you open up your power bill
or pay a gas bill, you see the impact of
having a public Service Commission that's paying attention to the details.
I think it's one of the most important agencies that
no one's ever heard of, because we control billions of
dollars in infrastructure investments and that sort of thing. So
it might be a little bit dry, but it's incredibly important.
If you care about climate change, you care about how
(05:10):
much you pay for your utilities, and that's what we
try and focus on.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Definitely, So look the backbone of the episode today, I
wanted to talk to you about you won by what
was it, twenty four percent?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Twenty six percent?
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I owe you to percent twenty six percent, and I
want to get your overall message. This could be a
length a lengthier answer. What is your overall message to
Democrats to actually win? Because you won by twenty six
percent and people can't even say it's because of the
climate because Democrats on a ballot is lost by ten percent?
So what does your twenty six percent mean? And what's
(05:42):
your advice to Democrats?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Sure, now, it was a special election last year, and
there were some things in our favor. We had a
bunch of municipal elections over two hundred and Democrats tend
to live in cities, so that's where a lot of
that support came from. But I think that we also
had two really good candidates who were finally going to
be pro consumer focus on the issues that people are
concerned about. If we just keep that in focus, that
(06:05):
same focus on how do we lower folks power bills,
how do we clean up our energy systems so that
we're not contributing to climate change? And how do we
wrap our arms around this question of data centers and
are they paying their fair share? And I think if
we keep the focus on that and not only just
talk about the problems but show up with solutions, I
think that we can make what happened last November happen
(06:28):
again this November. So you're going to see more of
my plan. I put forward a plan last year. I'm
going to improve upon that and again demonstrate with receipts.
Cause I like to bring the evidence to the table
of how we can meet this moment of load growth,
but do it with clean energy and lower folks power bills.
(06:48):
And I believe strongly in that definitely.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
So look, a big part of politics is making sure
that promises are delivered. Now when you ran, everyone heard
lower power bill. If you want lower power. If you
want a lower power bill, you vote for Peter and Alisha,
our Georgia voters getting that lower power bill. I've always
wanted to follow up on that and kind of see
what's going on.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Super good question, and you're right, that was a promise
in the campaign. So you know what happened before I
arrived is there were six rate increases over two years
from twenty twenty three to twenty five, and so that
averaged you know, roughly fifty dollars a month for everyone.
So under the guy that I unseated last year, bill's
rose six times. This year, they're actually going down by
(07:31):
not a lot, just four dollars a month on average,
But it's finally going in the right direction, which is down.
And I think there's a lot more that we can do.
I think it's important for folks to know this is
not something that you can change overnight. There's things we
can do in the short term, medium term, long term.
Like I said, we're making decisions that we're going to
be paying for for decades. So lowering folks power bills
(07:53):
means putting into action a plan of building the resources
that the grid needs. But that will lower folks power
blae and you do that with clean energy. The why
is because once you build it, the fuel is free.
You don't have to keep paying that Netflix subscription charge
to send fuel or to send dollars out of state
to buy the gas and the cold to run this.
(08:13):
So you know, there's things we can do and there's
more work that we can do. When we get that
they're a democrat on the Commission, I'm very much focused
on the fact that, like in the recent storm cost
recovery docket, and this is where it gets a little
bit into weeds. But the company, Georgia Power, asked for
nine hundred and twelve million dollars and we ended up
(08:34):
approving that, but I filed a motion to strip out
the profit from that. It didn't sit well with me
that they were getting profit on top of a problem
that they caused by emitting carbon and exacerbating the effects
of Hurricane Helene. So those are the kinds of things
where even though that motion failed because we didn't have
the votes, we can do more of that when we
have that third vote with she ledwards.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
How many more votes did you need? Because some people
were like, okay, we got two out of five seats,
that's not really a lot. So how many more votes
did you need for that?
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Just one more?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
It's majority rules on the Commission, So if you if
we had a third vote, and trust me, I lobbyed
my colleagues on the Commission, my Republican colleagues, to come
on board with some very sensitive, sorry sensible and low
hanging fruit motions, and I wasn't able to convince them.
That to me is a signal that we have to
have a third Democrat because it's a Commission of five.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
The rule of three rules.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
The rule of two is still important. I can put
emotion out there, Commissioner Johnson can second it, and then
everyone has to take a position on whether they want
profit on storm damage recovery. But it's majority rules.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
So what I really wanted to talk to you about
is this stuff is very common sense. It's like what
you just said, it's obvious, it's right, it's and so
it's it's almost it's they're almost playing in our faces
right in terms of how they operate on the Commission.
I want to ask you, can Sheila Edwards win.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Oh, absolutely, yeah, unquestionably, and when she does, it's not
a question of if, it's a question of when. Because
people are frustrated with no one paying attention at the
Commission about the upward trajectory of bills and why that is.
And I'll just give you an example in Cog County
that you have places where folks on one side of
the street get a Georgia Power Company bill and on
(10:19):
the other side of the street they pay their electric
bill to Cobb EMC and it's half what the Georgia
Power Company bills for the same amount of energy. The
difference is the profit motive. So what's happening is there's
an incentive to build as much as you can put
that in the rate base and make a profit off
of it. And if you don't have regulators that are
minding the shop and guarding against those imprudent spending those
(10:42):
types of things, then you get higher power bills. And
so I know that Sheila can win. I mentioned the
six rate increases over the last few years, but even
after our victory lasts November and unseating two Republican commissioners,
there's a huge vote to lock in future rating increases.
Lamed Uck commissioner. And if you don't think that's going
(11:02):
to be a topic in this election, you've got another
thing coming.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Here, you go. So before we get I want to
get into data centers for sure. But I wanted to
ask you back in I think it was too early
to down twenty five. Yeah, it was early too down
twenty five. You ran in a primary against two other people.
One of the people that you ran against is now
running for another office. What would you say to voters
that are voting for that in that election? For I
(11:25):
think it is insurance commissioner.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
I'll let everyone run on their own merits. You know,
I think there were good people that I was running
against last year. I do think that you need to
have a background and energy to be successful as a
public service commissioner, and the candidate you're talking about didn't
necessarily have that. So I hope that that person has
the qualifications for insurance commissioner, but I'll let that person
run on their own.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Merits, definitely. And so now he's a Now that you're
running for reelection, what is going to be your message
to actually get re elected? Because now you can't say
there's no one on the public service can fighting for
lower bills. And now that there is, what's going to
be your message for reelection? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Well, I think the strategy this year was to again
make people take positions on certain things that are, like
you said, common sense right. And I put forward four
motions to dial back on the ask from the power company.
All four failed because we didn't have that third vote.
So the message to voters this year is, let's finish
the job. Let's lock in a Democratic majority no matter
(12:26):
what they do in the special session on June seventeenth,
and they're going to redraw the Public Service Commission maps
too that won't take effect until twenty twenty eight. But
no matter what happens, when we win in November, we
lock in a Democratic majority on the Public Service Commission
for the next four years. So what we can do
with that is actually lower power bills by going after
(12:46):
some of the low hanging fruit and things that have
just been neglected for a long time, like the profit incentive.
We can also push more of that clean energy that
we know is going to lower power bills over the
medium and long term and help with cleaning up our
vironment and climate change. And like I said, hold data
centers accountable, and we need to dig into that question
because I am not yet convinced five months into the
(13:09):
job that they're paying their fair share.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
And now you know, with no de barrasso, we'll be
right back. Okay, let's talk about data centers. I got
to ask you for someone that is politically disengaged but
worried about data centers, unload on the entire topic of
data centers as the Public Service commissioner.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Yeah, so it's a big topic, and that's why I
keep saying we need a whole of government approach from
the governor all the way down to county commissions. Data
centers have a big impact on power first and foremost,
and that's part of the reason why they're coming to
the state is because they get a sweetheart deal on
the power and they're getting incredibly generous tax abatements. But
(13:48):
the power thing is what I'm focused on at the
Public Service Commission. And there's also water as well. There's
also land use, and like I said, the tax abatements,
three and a half billion dollars and four gone tax
revenue elections that data centers could be paying into our
state coffers, local communities, but they're not because we abated
it all away. Where I'm mostly concerned about data centers is,
(14:11):
first of all, they're operating under the secrecy under NDAs,
so you usually don't find out about them until they're
under construction in people's backyards. I'm concerned about the fact
that we are connecting private data center companies to a
private utility with big transmission lines that cross through people's backyards,
and that's a big deal. But also, I mean, just
(14:32):
to get right down to it, data centers I don't
believe are paying their fair share yet, and there's a
real risk that we build a bunch of new gas
fire power plants and batteries, and the data centers don't
show up and the numbers promised or we build them,
they show up and they don't stick around for the
twenty thirty forty years to pay off those assets. And
who's left holding the bag but the people who live
(14:53):
here in the state who don't have a choice in
their power provider.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Definitely. So is there anything that the current the Public
Service Commission and can do if they get another seat
about data center?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yeah? Absolutely so.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Coming out of the storm damage and fuel coss recovery
dockets we just did in late May, what we're going
to do is now dig into this pricing that data
centers get that sweetheart deal I told you about, and
that will conclude in December. And even if we don't
have the votes for making some of the recommended improvements
(15:25):
come out of that process, and it will include in December.
In January of next year, when we have Sheil Edwards
on the Commission, we can just make it happen.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Just get him with Sheila where good Iewall.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
It's incredible how the Republican Commission that we've had for
quarter century now has just kind of rubber stamped everything
that's come across their desk, and now you have someone
that's asking hard questions and pushing back and signaling to
them that they need to think hard about how they're
doing business because when we have that third commissioner, it's
not going to be business as usual.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
No, definitely. So another thing Georgia voters want to know
is you, like, like I said, he won by twenty
six percent, and that was that we don't have the
numbers to have twenty six percent. Only Democrats voted. So
what is your approach if you're going to be on
the campaign's raid to shield Edward just saying hey, this
is not a partisan issue. You should vote for the
(16:18):
Democratic nominee like you voted for me and got power
bills lower.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Sure, because you know what the Democrats are doing, are
actually paying attention to what voters are concerned about, which
is data centers and having a big impact in rural
areas and Kawita County, Fayette County and other places like that.
You just saw Alexandria Casio Cortes come down here and
visit with Republicans to talk about this issue. Because it
(16:42):
doesn't matter which side of the allale you're on. People
are concerned about it, and there's one side that's actually
trying to do something about it. Draw attention to it
and wrap our arms around this. Republicans are more than
happy to let them come ride roughshot over us, take
advantage of our low power prices, drive up our water bills,
all those things. So you know, I think it's at
(17:02):
their peril that they ignore what the voters are concerned about.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Yeah, and Peter, let me talk to you about this.
So the reason I called for this meeting is because
I think there's something that democrats can learn. We touched
on this earlier, but become Professor Hubbard for a second.
What can national democrats learn Democrats from across the country saying, Hey,
focus on these kitchen table issues and running as Democrats.
Nothing crazy like because your opponents did touch on some
(17:25):
crazy things in the general election. It's focusing on kitchen
table issues. Talk to Democrats from across the country about this.
Because you didn't win by almost thirty percent in a
swing stay.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
I think we just have to show leadership. Right.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Every one of the fifty states is wrapping their arms
around what is the right amount for data centers to
pay to make sure they're paying their fair share. And
I haven't really seen the right answer on that yet
and it's a difficult question to answer, but we got
to get to the bottom of it. We got to
make sure that they're not pushing costs onto us. I
think we show that leadership if we show how how
(18:00):
like I did last year with the plan that I
put out, we can we can accommodate data centers, make
them pay their fair share, and do it with clean
energy without raising folks power bills. Demonstrate that and lead
on that and run on that. Then I think that
will show leadership and voters will respond to that. So
you know, I want to be that voice. I've got
the technical background to be able to put forward reasonable,
(18:23):
feasible plans, and I think if we do that, we
will be successful in November.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Does Peter Havebardy shat ebt?
Speaker 2 (18:32):
You know, we all do, whether you want to or not.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
You can't get away from it, right You do a
Google search and it's not optional anymore, so you know
it's helpful and it's a tool like everything else that
can be for good or bad. I'm you know, it's
difficult to save it, like you know, we need to
learn to kind of work with them, but just make
sure that they're not causing harms. And I'm worried about
job losses. I'm worried about their impact on the environment
(18:55):
and on our power bills.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Absolutely, are you seeing this because I'm seeing these things
on social media of now, it's affecting the water supply.
What exactly can we do about that? I think that
is the most stressful part. Forget about backyard all that stuff.
The water supply is being damaged by these data centers.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
You know, I'll just say the PSC doesn't cover water,
but water and data centers still come back to the
PSC because not only do they have direct water usage
to cool those Nvidia chips and all of that, and
it's an enormous amount of cooling that's needed, but we're
also building power plants that use a lot of water
to run those data centers, So there's direct use and
(19:34):
indirect use. Water comes down to a local issue. The
local counties and municipalities are the ones that really have
jurisdiction over water. What they need to do is put
in place ordinances that say, if you want to build
a data center here, it needs to be closed loop
you need to maybe site next to a wastewater treatment
facility so you can use that brown water. Don't draw
(19:56):
from our aquifers and our rivers, because it's only going
to be a matter before we're in another drought and
those data centers are going to be pulling from the
same water you need to take a shower and drink from.
So we can't have data centers competing with the basics
that people need to live.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Absolutely, and look, I want to ask you this so
beside the thing I heard that power bills are now
being reduced by four dollars a month. But what have
you accomplished since you got in the PSC.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Really good question. I know what I've done is signaled
what we can do when we have that third vote.
And that's a little challenging for me to accept that
I'm still not accomplishing everything I want to. But I
know that this is a long term project and voters
do need to understand it's going to take time to
see some of these changes enacted. But what I was
(20:44):
able to do is put my foot down and say
business as usual is not going to happen like it
has before. Yeah, there was a big decision that happened
just before I took my seat on the Commission December nineteenth,
the huge certification of resources for data centers, and that
cost is going to be shifted onto us. So what
I'm doing is starting the process of investigating and making
(21:05):
sure that we're wrapping arms around that are they paying
their fair share, and when we have the majority, will
be prepared to enact those reforms that are needed. Again,
it's not going to happen overnight. For these changes to
be lasting, I need to put in place rules and
make sure that I have a bulletproof kind of position
(21:25):
on this because it can be appealed, it can be overturned,
and that's the last thing I want is to make
changes that don't outlast me. I want to make sure
that these are enduring changes, and you know there's groundwork
that's laid there, and don't forget as well. I'm a
full time commissioner, but also a full time candidate and
a full time father, So I've got at least three
jobs that I'm working right now and doing what I
(21:47):
can to make a difference with the time I have.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Most definitely, look, I want to ask you this. You
don't have to be corporate about it. Real conversation, How
are you feeling about the Georida governor's race.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Well, I know that we can be successful, I absolutely
know it. We got to have the right message, and
I think Kisha Lan's Bottoms absolutely can be that right messenger.
You know, data centers are complicated, and so I want
to make sure that I'm working with her. I know
even John Assof is trying to wrap his arms around this.
He sent a letter to the chairman of the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, who's going to come out with some
(22:24):
rules on large load data centers a little bit later
this year. Again, this gets back to if we have
a united front and we have a plan of action
for what happens when we're elected, not just you know,
theatrics and that sort of thing, an actual concrete way
that we can improve folks lives. I mean, I think
we've got this in the bag. I think that we
(22:45):
can do this. I know that seems like a heavy
lift for a purple state like Georgia, but I think
folks are ready for change and accountability and people that
will just center them instead of corporate interests, which is
how that's kind of the Georgia the Atlanta Way in
a way is just kind of going along to get along.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Absolutely, Wait, why do you say that is the Georgia
Atlanta Way.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
I never I think. I see the influence of corporations everywhere.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Really everywhere here, especially everywhere.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
Sure, I mean I pay attention to Georgia Power and
I see how they advertise. I mean you can't. You
can't drive anywhere. You can't go to a gas station
and see the screens at the pump without seeing a
Georgia Power company advertisement or this day in history. They
spread their large s all over the state, and that
makes everyone kind of beholden to them a little bit.
(23:36):
So that's why it's important that I don't take any
money from them or anyone that has interest in front
of the Commission any business.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Before I ask this question, have they approached you trying
to lobby?
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, And it's but it's their right
to lobby, and I understand where they're coming from. They
I mean, you just have to understand what their incentives
and interests are. They are there to maximize shareholder profit.
That's the only thing that they are concerned about. They
may say other things, but that's the bottom line. And
so if you understand where they're coming from, and they
(24:08):
also have a right to have their voice heard, but
just you know, they can say what they like and
I can continue to have my opinion of how I
think things should happen.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
There you go, and when they're lobbying you, right, and
this is for people that are not politically engaged. How
are they are they approaching you with campaign money offers,
personal money offers? How does this kind of process work?
Speaker 3 (24:30):
You know, if I hadn't said right up front that
that's just unacceptable to me to take their money, that,
I'm sure they would have offered that. There's all kinds
of ways they do it. There's regional conferences where they
show up. There's galas where I have minders. I have
people that are watching out for me, whose job it
is to fill out a report saying they talked to
Commissioner Hubbard about such and such.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
You have people, Wait, what elaborate?
Speaker 3 (24:52):
I'm saying that they are a professional lobbyists whose job
it is to track my movement and show up at
town halls that I'm at. That's thing I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
I'm a lobbyist.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Well, you could be I mean, you have to be
registered right now.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
You have to be registered with the state to do that.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
How do you know I'm not registered with the state.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
I guess I could look you up, and I haven't
done that, but you know it's your right. And I
am a commissioner to the entire state of eleven plus
million people. So anyone is able to reach out to
me and have a conversation and have them speak their mind,
and that's a form of lobbying. But to do it officially,
you got to be registered.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Okay, fine, it's all right. So in terms of the
George Gagner's race, there is a more interesting aspect, which
is the Republican runoff. How are you feeling about about
the Burt Jonesborg Jackson runoff.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
I mean, it's billionaire against billionaire over there.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
I guess a billionaire.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Well, Burt Jones probably like to be. I guess we
know Rick Jackson is. Burt Jones is data centers. If
you don't like data centers, then Burt Jones is deep
into that. Rick Jackson he made his money off of
the profit and healthcare. That doesn't sit well with me either.
So neither one is going to the center Georgians and
their interests. It's going to be more of the same
(26:03):
with Republicans tailoring their you know what they do to
corporate interests rather than the people's interests.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Yeah, I've always wanted to know how how does Peter
Hubberd feel on national politics like the check Trump administration
for example.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Oh, a disaster up and down, left and right. Trump.
You know, people are concerned about affordability and energy bills,
and what is Trump doing but canceling projects that will
lower folks power bills. He just put out something about
let's build some more coal plants. There's not a coal
plant in the country that's economic to run right now,
so he's driving up folks power bills. He took away,
(26:39):
pulled the rug out from under the tax credits that
support renewables and gave it to fossil fuel interests and
corporate interests. I mean, you don't have to go very far.
You don't even have to go to you can go
to It's hard to find folks that really support him
because I don't see it. I think people are frustrated
with how much the pain at the pump for gas.
I think they're frustrated with all kinds of things and
(27:01):
what are we getting in return but a half built
ballroom and him focused on everything but what people want
him to focus on.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Definitely, back to the PSC, I want to ask you,
how has Alisha Johnson been as a voting member, your
running mate back in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
Yeah, I think she's been great. You know, she's there focused,
reading through the documents like I am, taking votes. She
backed me up on my four emotions, which is important
because again that forces the other Republican Commissioners to take
a position and say, yes, I would like profit on
storm damage recovery. So she's got my back, I've got
(27:37):
hers definitely.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Now, look, Commissioner Hubbard, we spoke about everything from data
center everything, and my backbone message was really how can
democrats win like you did by such a large amount?
And your message really was focusing on data centers, caitch
table issues like that that matters, and so I think
Democrats can win running on that message. Now, I want
to ask you, since you're on the show, I got
(27:59):
to ask what is one piece of misinformation about yourself
that you want to combat? And since you're on the PSC,
what's one piece of misinformation about the PSC that you
want to combat.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Wow, So on the PSC, you know, I still don't
have control over the messaging that comes out of that PSC.
You go to the landing page and it says data
centers are paying their fair share. No, it's it's not
in my opinion. And we'll see more of that evidence
as I'm able to dig into it, but I don't
believe it to be true. As far as misinformation, I mean,
this is just kind of common that anyone who's a
(28:31):
Democrat or leftists, you know, they're that they they're not
sensible and don't realize they're just unrealistic that you know,
people will say things about the Green New Deal scam
or something like that. What that is is they're trying
to protect their own corporate interests, fossil fuel interests. This
is how things have always been done. I'm a reasonable person,
(28:53):
but you've got to back up what you say with receipts.
And I think, you know, maybe misinformation about me might
be that I don't back up what I think and
say with evidence, and I've only ever done that that's
fallen on deaf ears. But I'm putting it out there
for people to confirm what I'm saying is the right path?
Speaker 1 (29:11):
And Peter, there was a commercial saying that you were,
quote weird. I don't think you're weird. Tell me why
do you think they would say something like that? What
is weird about you?
Speaker 3 (29:20):
I haven't even seen that commercial, but but bring it in.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
Had you with some glasses or something? You had some
like glasses or whatever?
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Some shades? Maybe because the future is so bright. But
that's fine. I know, sorry for the cheese, but you know,
maybe I am a little bit weird. I like dad jokes.
But I'm there to do a job, so you can
talk about whatever you'd like to talk about. The fact
of the matter is is that Republicans have raised your
power bill and they'll keep doing it unless someone shows
them the door.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
There you go, well, Peter, I greatly appreciate you. Do
you like commissioner? Have it or Peter? Which one do
you like that? Peter? There we go, Peter. I appreciate you. Peter,
Thank you for coming on. We'll get you. Sheila Edwards
in that in the commission and people go to iwill
vote dot com to get involved in their runoff election.
Do you have any endorsements in this runoff election?
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Yeah, we're bringing them in.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
There's a lot of climate focused folks that are interested
in continuing to support. Just like last year, Georgia conservation
voters all that we'll be putting more at the website.
It's Peter for Georgia dot com. Everything spelled out perfect.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
Thank you, Peter, right on, Thank you, Noah. That was
a good conversation. I enjoyed that thoroughly with Commissioner Harvard. Now, look,
one thing when I said that it could either educate
you or confuse you, is because I say that because
the Public Service Commission is something that very few people
in this world know about. You have to be very
(30:39):
engaged in your community to know about it. Even though
it is one of the most important jobs to have
in political office. It is you literally control eleven million people.
The Georgia Public Service Commission controls eleven million people that
live in the state of Georgia. Where you're in Savannah, Macon, Albany, Addersville, Dawsonville, Atlanta, Midtown, Buckhead,
(30:59):
cop everywhere in the State of Georgia, you are affected
and protected by the Public Service Commission. Now, one thing
Peter Hubbard constantly touched on was the issues of the
issue of data centers. And there's one reason why we're
seeing data centers being built in communities, even sometimes primarily
black communities, all over the country, in middle class, working communities.
(31:21):
We're seeing water being damaged, brown water coming out of showers,
brown water with glass in it coming out of showers,
and these data centers are being built in the backyards
of people. And Commissioner Hubbard taught me a lot that
I actually didn't know, a lot that I didn't know
about the Public Service Commission and the issue of data
centers in general. And why said number one, this could
(31:43):
educate yous, because to be honest, it definitely did. I
wanted a conversation about how he won by twenty six percent,
but on the way I learned a whole lot, and
I hope you did too. So do me a big favor.
If you made it this far, I am begging you
please leave a review. I love seeing your reviews. So
if you ever enjoy anything I say, whether you came
(32:03):
from social media anywhere, or you just simply enjoy this episode,
or if you're a fan of Peter Hubert, please leave
a review. If it's in your spirit to do so.
Share this on social media and follow the podcast so
we can get more interviews done like this. I greatly
appreciate you, and if you're bored, go watch the Kamala
Harris interview or even the interview I did with Pete Budajesh,
(32:26):
because these are really good episodes that I hope you
can enjoy as much as I did. Thank you,
Now you know and No de Brosso is a production
of iHeartMedia and partnership with Recent Choice Media folks. Today
(00:20):
we have an episode that could either one educate you
or number two confuse you a little bit. Let me
explain so bad. I don't know if you remember. Back
in twenty twenty five, everyone all over Instagram, atl Scoop Georgia, followers, Atlanta,
Black Twitter, everything altogether. We really made a coalition to
lower power bills in the state of Georgia, lower power
(00:42):
bills and focus on green clean energy in the state
of Georgia, energy to move us into the future. And
during that coalition, we elected two new people to the
Public Service Commission that are Democrats, Peter Hubbard and Alsia Johnson.
Now let me tell you about Peter Hubbard. Peter Hubbard
won the Public Service Commission race by twenty six percent.
(01:04):
Now let me tell you something about Georgia. We in
the country. So Georgia, despite what you know about Atlanta,
Georgia is country. And do you know what it takes
for a Democrat to win by twenty six percent in
the state of Georgia. In Georgia, this is not an
Atlanta election. A Democrat won by twenty six percent in Georgia.
(01:24):
So today we have a magnificent conversation with Commissioner Hubbard
about what Democrats can do nationwide and in the state
of Georgia to win by margins like he did, focusing
on kitchen table issues and a new a really a
new problem honestly that arise data centers. Now people are
all talking about data centers, which is such an important
issue for something like the Public Service Commission. So what
(01:46):
a wonderful conversation I had here today with Peter Hubbard
of the Georgia Public Service Commission statewide. All right, Peter,
how are you doing to eh?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Do good?
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Well? Look, I've been meaning to set up this conversation
for a while, so lie during the primary, during the general,
after you were sworn in, and then now now we
finally got a shout out to Dan for pulling everything
together and Peter's wonderful team and how he's collaborated with
the Georgia Democratic Party's been wonderful.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
So Peter, we're here in Atlanta, and right now as
we're speaking, I actually rolled up my stickers, so but
I have it somewhere it's early voting, and you were
on the ballot during the primary for a reelection, and
I want you to tell the voters a little bit
about your reelection and everything like that, and then we'll
get to the big stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
I already locked in my vote on the first day
of early voting because I like to put it in
the bank. And I was on the primary ballot on
May nineteenth, but ran unopposed, and so it's the easiest
election I've ever run. I wish they could all be
like that, but I had to work to get here.
I did a primary runoff and a general last year year.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Gift primary and runoff last year, wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
That's right? And I think it'll be hard fought again
even this year. And now you know, I know that
I'm an incumbent, but I'll be on the ballot this
November third, facing the same gentleman that I unseated last year.
So I'm feeling pretty good about my chances. I think
the work that we're doing at the Commission is good.
And frankly, you know, we just need someone who's paying
attention and digging into the details, and I am doing
(03:15):
that at the Commission.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Absolutely well, look, you also last time we spoke, you
were figuring out who you're going to run with. Tell
us a little bit about the nominee that won for
the other Public Service Commission seat.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
For sure.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
So I think Democrats did a good job of putting
forward great candidates. And Sheila Edwards was in that primary
runoff or sorry, she voided a runoff because she cleared
the fifty percent, So I already knew who I'm running
with that Sheila Edwards, and she would be that third
Democratic seat on the Public Service Commission and a consumer advocate.
So it is we're going to link arms and cross
(03:48):
that finish line together, she Ledwards and myself.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Definitely, that's wonderful. So look now it's the real conversation, Peter.
You know what time it is Georgia voters want to know. So,
for example, we were very serious everyone, even the politically disengage,
We're very serious about getting power bills lower. What does
the Public Service Commission actually do?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, the Public Service Commission in Georgia is an elective
body of five folks, and they regulate how much you
pay on.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Your power bill.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
If you pay a Georgia Power Company bill or an
Atlanta gas slight or really a gas bill, and they
determine where that energy comes from. So when we're talking
about data centers, they can be powered with all kinds
of things, nukes, solar gas, but we determine where that
energy comes from in this long term planning process. And
it gets into the weeds a little bit, but it's
(04:35):
incredibly important because the decisions that we make today have
an impact on your power bills for a long time.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Absolutely in the Georgia Public Service Commission. How important would
you say that is to someone who isn't even politically engaged.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I mean, every time you open up your power bill
or pay a gas bill, you see the impact of
having a public Service Commission that's paying attention to the details.
I think it's one of the most important agencies that
no one's ever heard of, because we control billions of
dollars in infrastructure investments and that sort of thing. So
it might be a little bit dry, but it's incredibly important.
If you care about climate change, you care about how
(05:10):
much you pay for your utilities, and that's what we
try and focus on.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Definitely, So look the backbone of the episode today, I
wanted to talk to you about you won by what
was it, twenty four percent?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Twenty six percent?
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I owe you to percent twenty six percent, and I
want to get your overall message. This could be a
length a lengthier answer. What is your overall message to
Democrats to actually win? Because you won by twenty six
percent and people can't even say it's because of the
climate because Democrats on a ballot is lost by ten percent?
So what does your twenty six percent mean? And what's
(05:42):
your advice to Democrats?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Sure, now, it was a special election last year, and
there were some things in our favor. We had a
bunch of municipal elections over two hundred and Democrats tend
to live in cities, so that's where a lot of
that support came from. But I think that we also
had two really good candidates who were finally going to
be pro consumer focus on the issues that people are
concerned about. If we just keep that in focus, that
(06:05):
same focus on how do we lower folks power bills,
how do we clean up our energy systems so that
we're not contributing to climate change? And how do we
wrap our arms around this question of data centers and
are they paying their fair share? And I think if
we keep the focus on that and not only just
talk about the problems but show up with solutions, I
think that we can make what happened last November happen
(06:28):
again this November. So you're going to see more of
my plan. I put forward a plan last year. I'm
going to improve upon that and again demonstrate with receipts.
Cause I like to bring the evidence to the table
of how we can meet this moment of load growth,
but do it with clean energy and lower folks power bills.
(06:48):
And I believe strongly in that definitely.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
So look, a big part of politics is making sure
that promises are delivered. Now when you ran, everyone heard
lower power bill. If you want lower power. If you
want a lower power bill, you vote for Peter and Alisha,
our Georgia voters getting that lower power bill. I've always
wanted to follow up on that and kind of see
what's going on.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Super good question, and you're right, that was a promise
in the campaign. So you know what happened before I
arrived is there were six rate increases over two years
from twenty twenty three to twenty five, and so that
averaged you know, roughly fifty dollars a month for everyone.
So under the guy that I unseated last year, bill's
rose six times. This year, they're actually going down by
(07:31):
not a lot, just four dollars a month on average,
But it's finally going in the right direction, which is down.
And I think there's a lot more that we can do.
I think it's important for folks to know this is
not something that you can change overnight. There's things we
can do in the short term, medium term, long term.
Like I said, we're making decisions that we're going to
be paying for for decades. So lowering folks power bills
(07:53):
means putting into action a plan of building the resources
that the grid needs. But that will lower folks power
blae and you do that with clean energy. The why
is because once you build it, the fuel is free.
You don't have to keep paying that Netflix subscription charge
to send fuel or to send dollars out of state
to buy the gas and the cold to run this.
(08:13):
So you know, there's things we can do and there's
more work that we can do. When we get that
they're a democrat on the Commission, I'm very much focused
on the fact that, like in the recent storm cost
recovery docket, and this is where it gets a little
bit into weeds. But the company, Georgia Power, asked for
nine hundred and twelve million dollars and we ended up
(08:34):
approving that, but I filed a motion to strip out
the profit from that. It didn't sit well with me
that they were getting profit on top of a problem
that they caused by emitting carbon and exacerbating the effects
of Hurricane Helene. So those are the kinds of things
where even though that motion failed because we didn't have
the votes, we can do more of that when we
have that third vote with she ledwards.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
How many more votes did you need? Because some people
were like, okay, we got two out of five seats,
that's not really a lot. So how many more votes
did you need for that?
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Just one more?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
It's majority rules on the Commission, So if you if
we had a third vote, and trust me, I lobbyed
my colleagues on the Commission, my Republican colleagues, to come
on board with some very sensitive, sorry sensible and low
hanging fruit motions, and I wasn't able to convince them.
That to me is a signal that we have to
have a third Democrat because it's a Commission of five.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
The rule of three rules.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
The rule of two is still important. I can put
emotion out there, Commissioner Johnson can second it, and then
everyone has to take a position on whether they want
profit on storm damage recovery. But it's majority rules.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
So what I really wanted to talk to you about
is this stuff is very common sense. It's like what
you just said, it's obvious, it's right, it's and so
it's it's almost it's they're almost playing in our faces
right in terms of how they operate on the Commission.
I want to ask you, can Sheila Edwards win.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Oh, absolutely, yeah, unquestionably, and when she does, it's not
a question of if, it's a question of when. Because
people are frustrated with no one paying attention at the
Commission about the upward trajectory of bills and why that is.
And I'll just give you an example in Cog County
that you have places where folks on one side of
the street get a Georgia Power Company bill and on
(10:19):
the other side of the street they pay their electric
bill to Cobb EMC and it's half what the Georgia
Power Company bills for the same amount of energy. The
difference is the profit motive. So what's happening is there's
an incentive to build as much as you can put
that in the rate base and make a profit off
of it. And if you don't have regulators that are
minding the shop and guarding against those imprudent spending those
(10:42):
types of things, then you get higher power bills. And
so I know that Sheila can win. I mentioned the
six rate increases over the last few years, but even
after our victory lasts November and unseating two Republican commissioners,
there's a huge vote to lock in future rating increases.
Lamed Uck commissioner. And if you don't think that's going
(11:02):
to be a topic in this election, you've got another
thing coming.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Here, you go. So before we get I want to
get into data centers for sure. But I wanted to
ask you back in I think it was too early
to down twenty five. Yeah, it was early too down
twenty five. You ran in a primary against two other people.
One of the people that you ran against is now
running for another office. What would you say to voters
that are voting for that in that election? For I
(11:25):
think it is insurance commissioner.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
I'll let everyone run on their own merits. You know,
I think there were good people that I was running
against last year. I do think that you need to
have a background and energy to be successful as a
public service commissioner, and the candidate you're talking about didn't
necessarily have that. So I hope that that person has
the qualifications for insurance commissioner, but I'll let that person
run on their own.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Merits, definitely. And so now he's a Now that you're
running for reelection, what is going to be your message
to actually get re elected? Because now you can't say
there's no one on the public service can fighting for
lower bills. And now that there is, what's going to
be your message for reelection? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Well, I think the strategy this year was to again
make people take positions on certain things that are, like
you said, common sense right. And I put forward four
motions to dial back on the ask from the power company.
All four failed because we didn't have that third vote.
So the message to voters this year is, let's finish
the job. Let's lock in a Democratic majority no matter
(12:26):
what they do in the special session on June seventeenth,
and they're going to redraw the Public Service Commission maps
too that won't take effect until twenty twenty eight. But
no matter what happens, when we win in November, we
lock in a Democratic majority on the Public Service Commission
for the next four years. So what we can do
with that is actually lower power bills by going after
(12:46):
some of the low hanging fruit and things that have
just been neglected for a long time, like the profit incentive.
We can also push more of that clean energy that
we know is going to lower power bills over the
medium and long term and help with cleaning up our
vironment and climate change. And like I said, hold data
centers accountable, and we need to dig into that question
because I am not yet convinced five months into the
(13:09):
job that they're paying their fair share.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
And now you know, with no de barrasso, we'll be
right back. Okay, let's talk about data centers. I got
to ask you for someone that is politically disengaged but
worried about data centers, unload on the entire topic of
data centers as the Public Service commissioner.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Yeah, so it's a big topic, and that's why I
keep saying we need a whole of government approach from
the governor all the way down to county commissions. Data
centers have a big impact on power first and foremost,
and that's part of the reason why they're coming to
the state is because they get a sweetheart deal on
the power and they're getting incredibly generous tax abatements. But
(13:48):
the power thing is what I'm focused on at the
Public Service Commission. And there's also water as well. There's
also land use, and like I said, the tax abatements,
three and a half billion dollars and four gone tax
revenue elections that data centers could be paying into our
state coffers, local communities, but they're not because we abated
it all away. Where I'm mostly concerned about data centers is,
(14:11):
first of all, they're operating under the secrecy under NDAs,
so you usually don't find out about them until they're
under construction in people's backyards. I'm concerned about the fact
that we are connecting private data center companies to a
private utility with big transmission lines that cross through people's backyards,
and that's a big deal. But also, I mean, just
(14:32):
to get right down to it, data centers I don't
believe are paying their fair share yet, and there's a
real risk that we build a bunch of new gas
fire power plants and batteries, and the data centers don't
show up and the numbers promised or we build them,
they show up and they don't stick around for the
twenty thirty forty years to pay off those assets. And
who's left holding the bag but the people who live
(14:53):
here in the state who don't have a choice in
their power provider.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Definitely. So is there anything that the current the Public
Service Commission and can do if they get another seat
about data center?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yeah? Absolutely so.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Coming out of the storm damage and fuel coss recovery
dockets we just did in late May, what we're going
to do is now dig into this pricing that data
centers get that sweetheart deal I told you about, and
that will conclude in December. And even if we don't
have the votes for making some of the recommended improvements
(15:25):
come out of that process, and it will include in December.
In January of next year, when we have Sheil Edwards
on the Commission, we can just make it happen.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
Just get him with Sheila where good Iewall.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
It's incredible how the Republican Commission that we've had for
quarter century now has just kind of rubber stamped everything
that's come across their desk, and now you have someone
that's asking hard questions and pushing back and signaling to
them that they need to think hard about how they're
doing business because when we have that third commissioner, it's
not going to be business as usual.
Speaker 1 (15:56):
No, definitely. So another thing Georgia voters want to know
is you, like, like I said, he won by twenty
six percent, and that was that we don't have the
numbers to have twenty six percent. Only Democrats voted. So
what is your approach if you're going to be on
the campaign's raid to shield Edward just saying hey, this
is not a partisan issue. You should vote for the
(16:18):
Democratic nominee like you voted for me and got power
bills lower.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Sure, because you know what the Democrats are doing, are
actually paying attention to what voters are concerned about, which
is data centers and having a big impact in rural
areas and Kawita County, Fayette County and other places like that.
You just saw Alexandria Casio Cortes come down here and
visit with Republicans to talk about this issue. Because it
(16:42):
doesn't matter which side of the allale you're on. People
are concerned about it, and there's one side that's actually
trying to do something about it. Draw attention to it
and wrap our arms around this. Republicans are more than
happy to let them come ride roughshot over us, take
advantage of our low power prices, drive up our water bills,
all those things. So you know, I think it's at
(17:02):
their peril that they ignore what the voters are concerned about.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Yeah, and Peter, let me talk to you about this.
So the reason I called for this meeting is because
I think there's something that democrats can learn. We touched
on this earlier, but become Professor Hubbard for a second.
What can national democrats learn Democrats from across the country saying, Hey,
focus on these kitchen table issues and running as Democrats.
Nothing crazy like because your opponents did touch on some
(17:25):
crazy things in the general election. It's focusing on kitchen
table issues. Talk to Democrats from across the country about this.
Because you didn't win by almost thirty percent in a
swing stay.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
I think we just have to show leadership. Right.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Every one of the fifty states is wrapping their arms
around what is the right amount for data centers to
pay to make sure they're paying their fair share. And
I haven't really seen the right answer on that yet
and it's a difficult question to answer, but we got
to get to the bottom of it. We got to
make sure that they're not pushing costs onto us. I
think we show that leadership if we show how how
(18:00):
like I did last year with the plan that I
put out, we can we can accommodate data centers, make
them pay their fair share, and do it with clean
energy without raising folks power bills. Demonstrate that and lead
on that and run on that. Then I think that
will show leadership and voters will respond to that. So
you know, I want to be that voice. I've got
the technical background to be able to put forward reasonable,
(18:23):
feasible plans, and I think if we do that, we
will be successful in November.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
Does Peter Havebardy shat ebt?
Speaker 2 (18:32):
You know, we all do, whether you want to or not.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
You can't get away from it, right You do a
Google search and it's not optional anymore, so you know
it's helpful and it's a tool like everything else that
can be for good or bad. I'm you know, it's
difficult to save it, like you know, we need to
learn to kind of work with them, but just make
sure that they're not causing harms. And I'm worried about
job losses. I'm worried about their impact on the environment
(18:55):
and on our power bills.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Absolutely, are you seeing this because I'm seeing these things
on social media of now, it's affecting the water supply.
What exactly can we do about that? I think that
is the most stressful part. Forget about backyard all that stuff.
The water supply is being damaged by these data centers.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
You know, I'll just say the PSC doesn't cover water,
but water and data centers still come back to the
PSC because not only do they have direct water usage
to cool those Nvidia chips and all of that, and
it's an enormous amount of cooling that's needed, but we're
also building power plants that use a lot of water
to run those data centers, So there's direct use and
(19:34):
indirect use. Water comes down to a local issue. The
local counties and municipalities are the ones that really have
jurisdiction over water. What they need to do is put
in place ordinances that say, if you want to build
a data center here, it needs to be closed loop
you need to maybe site next to a wastewater treatment
facility so you can use that brown water. Don't draw
(19:56):
from our aquifers and our rivers, because it's only going
to be a matter before we're in another drought and
those data centers are going to be pulling from the
same water you need to take a shower and drink from.
So we can't have data centers competing with the basics
that people need to live.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Absolutely, and look, I want to ask you this so
beside the thing I heard that power bills are now
being reduced by four dollars a month. But what have
you accomplished since you got in the PSC.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Really good question. I know what I've done is signaled
what we can do when we have that third vote.
And that's a little challenging for me to accept that
I'm still not accomplishing everything I want to. But I
know that this is a long term project and voters
do need to understand it's going to take time to
see some of these changes enacted. But what I was
(20:44):
able to do is put my foot down and say
business as usual is not going to happen like it
has before. Yeah, there was a big decision that happened
just before I took my seat on the Commission December nineteenth,
the huge certification of resources for data centers, and that
cost is going to be shifted onto us. So what
I'm doing is starting the process of investigating and making
(21:05):
sure that we're wrapping arms around that are they paying
their fair share, and when we have the majority, will
be prepared to enact those reforms that are needed. Again,
it's not going to happen overnight. For these changes to
be lasting, I need to put in place rules and
make sure that I have a bulletproof kind of position
(21:25):
on this because it can be appealed, it can be overturned,
and that's the last thing I want is to make
changes that don't outlast me. I want to make sure
that these are enduring changes, and you know there's groundwork
that's laid there, and don't forget as well. I'm a
full time commissioner, but also a full time candidate and
a full time father, So I've got at least three
jobs that I'm working right now and doing what I
(21:47):
can to make a difference with the time I have.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Most definitely, look, I want to ask you this. You
don't have to be corporate about it. Real conversation, How
are you feeling about the Georida governor's race.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Well, I know that we can be successful, I absolutely
know it. We got to have the right message, and
I think Kisha Lan's Bottoms absolutely can be that right messenger.
You know, data centers are complicated, and so I want
to make sure that I'm working with her. I know
even John Assof is trying to wrap his arms around this.
He sent a letter to the chairman of the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, who's going to come out with some
(22:24):
rules on large load data centers a little bit later
this year. Again, this gets back to if we have
a united front and we have a plan of action
for what happens when we're elected, not just you know,
theatrics and that sort of thing, an actual concrete way
that we can improve folks lives. I mean, I think
we've got this in the bag. I think that we
(22:45):
can do this. I know that seems like a heavy
lift for a purple state like Georgia, but I think
folks are ready for change and accountability and people that
will just center them instead of corporate interests, which is
how that's kind of the Georgia the Atlanta Way in
a way is just kind of going along to get along.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Absolutely, Wait, why do you say that is the Georgia
Atlanta Way.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
I never I think. I see the influence of corporations everywhere.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Really everywhere here, especially everywhere.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
Sure, I mean I pay attention to Georgia Power and
I see how they advertise. I mean you can't. You
can't drive anywhere. You can't go to a gas station
and see the screens at the pump without seeing a
Georgia Power company advertisement or this day in history. They
spread their large s all over the state, and that
makes everyone kind of beholden to them a little bit.
(23:36):
So that's why it's important that I don't take any
money from them or anyone that has interest in front
of the Commission any business.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Before I ask this question, have they approached you trying
to lobby?
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, And it's but it's their right
to lobby, and I understand where they're coming from. They
I mean, you just have to understand what their incentives
and interests are. They are there to maximize shareholder profit.
That's the only thing that they are concerned about. They
may say other things, but that's the bottom line. And
so if you understand where they're coming from, and they
(24:08):
also have a right to have their voice heard, but
just you know, they can say what they like and
I can continue to have my opinion of how I
think things should happen.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
There you go, and when they're lobbying you, right, and
this is for people that are not politically engaged. How
are they are they approaching you with campaign money offers,
personal money offers? How does this kind of process work?
Speaker 3 (24:30):
You know, if I hadn't said right up front that
that's just unacceptable to me to take their money, that,
I'm sure they would have offered that. There's all kinds
of ways they do it. There's regional conferences where they
show up. There's galas where I have minders. I have
people that are watching out for me, whose job it
is to fill out a report saying they talked to
Commissioner Hubbard about such and such.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
You have people, Wait, what elaborate?
Speaker 3 (24:52):
I'm saying that they are a professional lobbyists whose job
it is to track my movement and show up at
town halls that I'm at. That's thing I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
I'm a lobbyist.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Well, you could be I mean, you have to be
registered right now.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
You have to be registered with the state to do that.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
How do you know I'm not registered with the state.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
I guess I could look you up, and I haven't
done that, but you know it's your right. And I
am a commissioner to the entire state of eleven plus
million people. So anyone is able to reach out to
me and have a conversation and have them speak their mind,
and that's a form of lobbying. But to do it officially,
you got to be registered.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
Okay, fine, it's all right. So in terms of the
George Gagner's race, there is a more interesting aspect, which
is the Republican runoff. How are you feeling about about
the Burt Jonesborg Jackson runoff.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
I mean, it's billionaire against billionaire over there.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
I guess a billionaire.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Well, Burt Jones probably like to be. I guess we
know Rick Jackson is. Burt Jones is data centers. If
you don't like data centers, then Burt Jones is deep
into that. Rick Jackson he made his money off of
the profit and healthcare. That doesn't sit well with me either.
So neither one is going to the center Georgians and
their interests. It's going to be more of the same
(26:03):
with Republicans tailoring their you know what they do to
corporate interests rather than the people's interests.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Yeah, I've always wanted to know how how does Peter
Hubberd feel on national politics like the check Trump administration
for example.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Oh, a disaster up and down, left and right. Trump.
You know, people are concerned about affordability and energy bills,
and what is Trump doing but canceling projects that will
lower folks power bills. He just put out something about
let's build some more coal plants. There's not a coal
plant in the country that's economic to run right now,
so he's driving up folks power bills. He took away,
(26:39):
pulled the rug out from under the tax credits that
support renewables and gave it to fossil fuel interests and
corporate interests. I mean, you don't have to go very far.
You don't even have to go to you can go
to It's hard to find folks that really support him
because I don't see it. I think people are frustrated
with how much the pain at the pump for gas.
I think they're frustrated with all kinds of things and
(27:01):
what are we getting in return but a half built
ballroom and him focused on everything but what people want
him to focus on.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Definitely, back to the PSC, I want to ask you,
how has Alisha Johnson been as a voting member, your
running mate back in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
Yeah, I think she's been great. You know, she's there focused,
reading through the documents like I am, taking votes. She
backed me up on my four emotions, which is important
because again that forces the other Republican Commissioners to take
a position and say, yes, I would like profit on
storm damage recovery. So she's got my back, I've got
(27:37):
hers definitely.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Now, look, Commissioner Hubbard, we spoke about everything from data
center everything, and my backbone message was really how can
democrats win like you did by such a large amount?
And your message really was focusing on data centers, caitch
table issues like that that matters, and so I think
Democrats can win running on that message. Now, I want
to ask you, since you're on the show, I got
(27:59):
to ask what is one piece of misinformation about yourself
that you want to combat? And since you're on the PSC,
what's one piece of misinformation about the PSC that you
want to combat.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Wow, So on the PSC, you know, I still don't
have control over the messaging that comes out of that PSC.
You go to the landing page and it says data
centers are paying their fair share. No, it's it's not
in my opinion. And we'll see more of that evidence
as I'm able to dig into it, but I don't
believe it to be true. As far as misinformation, I mean,
this is just kind of common that anyone who's a
(28:31):
Democrat or leftists, you know, they're that they they're not
sensible and don't realize they're just unrealistic that you know,
people will say things about the Green New Deal scam
or something like that. What that is is they're trying
to protect their own corporate interests, fossil fuel interests. This
is how things have always been done. I'm a reasonable person,
(28:53):
but you've got to back up what you say with receipts.
And I think, you know, maybe misinformation about me might
be that I don't back up what I think and
say with evidence, and I've only ever done that that's
fallen on deaf ears. But I'm putting it out there
for people to confirm what I'm saying is the right path?
Speaker 1 (29:11):
And Peter, there was a commercial saying that you were,
quote weird. I don't think you're weird. Tell me why
do you think they would say something like that? What
is weird about you?
Speaker 3 (29:20):
I haven't even seen that commercial, but but bring it in.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
Had you with some glasses or something? You had some
like glasses or whatever?
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Some shades? Maybe because the future is so bright. But
that's fine. I know, sorry for the cheese, but you know,
maybe I am a little bit weird. I like dad jokes.
But I'm there to do a job, so you can
talk about whatever you'd like to talk about. The fact
of the matter is is that Republicans have raised your
power bill and they'll keep doing it unless someone shows
them the door.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
There you go, well, Peter, I greatly appreciate you. Do
you like commissioner? Have it or Peter? Which one do
you like that? Peter? There we go, Peter. I appreciate you. Peter,
Thank you for coming on. We'll get you. Sheila Edwards
in that in the commission and people go to iwill
vote dot com to get involved in their runoff election.
Do you have any endorsements in this runoff election?
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Yeah, we're bringing them in.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
There's a lot of climate focused folks that are interested
in continuing to support. Just like last year, Georgia conservation
voters all that we'll be putting more at the website.
It's Peter for Georgia dot com. Everything spelled out perfect.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
Thank you, Peter, right on, Thank you, Noah. That was
a good conversation. I enjoyed that thoroughly with Commissioner Harvard. Now, look,
one thing when I said that it could either educate
you or confuse you, is because I say that because
the Public Service Commission is something that very few people
in this world know about. You have to be very
(30:39):
engaged in your community to know about it. Even though
it is one of the most important jobs to have
in political office. It is you literally control eleven million people.
The Georgia Public Service Commission controls eleven million people that
live in the state of Georgia. Where you're in Savannah, Macon, Albany, Addersville, Dawsonville, Atlanta, Midtown, Buckhead,
(30:59):
cop everywhere in the State of Georgia, you are affected
and protected by the Public Service Commission. Now, one thing
Peter Hubbard constantly touched on was the issues of the
issue of data centers. And there's one reason why we're
seeing data centers being built in communities, even sometimes primarily
black communities, all over the country, in middle class, working communities.
(31:21):
We're seeing water being damaged, brown water coming out of showers,
brown water with glass in it coming out of showers,
and these data centers are being built in the backyards
of people. And Commissioner Hubbard taught me a lot that
I actually didn't know, a lot that I didn't know
about the Public Service Commission and the issue of data
centers in general. And why said number one, this could
(31:43):
educate yous, because to be honest, it definitely did. I
wanted a conversation about how he won by twenty six percent,
but on the way I learned a whole lot, and
I hope you did too. So do me a big favor.
If you made it this far, I am begging you
please leave a review. I love seeing your reviews. So
if you ever enjoy anything I say, whether you came
(32:03):
from social media anywhere, or you just simply enjoy this episode,
or if you're a fan of Peter Hubert, please leave
a review. If it's in your spirit to do so.
Share this on social media and follow the podcast so
we can get more interviews done like this. I greatly
appreciate you, and if you're bored, go watch the Kamala
Harris interview or even the interview I did with Pete Budajesh,
(32:26):
because these are really good episodes that I hope you
can enjoy as much as I did. Thank you,
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