### Georgia Moves to Charge Data Centers for Power Usage
Georgia has experienced a surge in data center construction. While these facilities contribute significantly to property tax revenue, concerns have arisen over their high consumption of power and water. In response, state legislators have advanced a proposal requiring Georgia’s largest electric utility to charge data centers for the costs incurred to serve them. The bill has passed a House committee but still requires approval from the full House and Senate, as well as the governor’s signature.
Under the proposal, **Georgia Power** would be mandated to bill data centers for infrastructure investments and other costs associated with supporting their operations. Importantly, the utility would be prohibited from passing these costs onto residential and small business customers.
Currently, Georgia Power customers are paying 37% more for electricity than they did two years ago. The utility expects **electricity demand to increase by 50% by the end of 2030**, primarily due to the expansion of data centers.
