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Legislative update: board hears bills on EV tax exemption and EMC acquisition transparency; data-center cost bill unlikely to pass
Summary
Ronnie Barrett briefed the board on several state bills affecting utilities — including the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Tax Exemption Act (House Bill 652) and a Senate measure on EMC acquisitions — and said a measure that would prevent utilities from rolling data-center costs into rates did not cross over and is unlikely to pass this session.
Ronnie Barrett delivered a legislative update to the Marietta Board of Lights and Water on March 10, describing where several utility-related bills stand in the two-year session. Barrett said the session is in its first year following crossover day and that most bills did not cross over. He identified two measures the board is watching closely: House Bill 652, described as the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Tax Exemption Act, and Senate Bill 256, described as legislation to increase transparency when electric membership corporations make acquisitions.
Barrett also summarized a proposal discussed in the legislature that would bar utilities from rolling certain data-center–related costs into customer rates unless there is a mechanism to recoup those costs directly from the data-center customer. "So that's the way the bill is written," Barrett said, but he added that the measure did not cross over and "is very unlikely to pass" in the current session. Barrett said Georgia Power has been lobbying on related language and expressed concern about specific billing and cost-calculation mandates in some proposals.
Barrett noted that the Georgia Public Service Commission has been the focus of some proposed renaming and restructuring bills; one proposal would change its name to the Georgia Utilities Commission and could restore committees that were previously disbanded.
Board members asked for clarification of statutory language and the percentage limits referenced in the Senate bill about EMC investments; Barrett said he would review current statutory language and follow up. No formal action was taken by the board on the legislative items; Barrett invited members to flag bills for additional questions.
Next steps: staff and consultants will continue monitoring the session and report back if bills that affect the utility regain traction.
