Georgia Power wants more power for data centers; Senators to vote on extending ACA

Summary

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Georgia Today Podcast – December 9, 2025

Host: Peter Biello (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Main Themes: Georgia Power’s push for expanded generation for data centers, ACA subsidy extension efforts, UGA’s historic Legion Pool debate, and other key Georgia news.

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Episode Overview

This episode delves into several urgent issues across Georgia:

• Georgia Power’s request to significantly expand electricity generation to meet data center contracts, raising concerns about customer costs and state economic development.
• Expected U.S. Senate vote on extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and parallel debates among Georgia lawmakers on health care affordability.
• Controversy over University of Georgia’s plan to demolish its historic Legion swimming pool.
  Other topics include Fani Willis’s pending testimony before a state Senate committee, a key state Senator’s resignation, legal rulings on transgender care in prisons, and free admission at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fani Willis to Testify Before State Senate Committee

[00:39–01:32]

• Context: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will testify later in December before a state Senate committee investigating her conduct.
• Former Governor Roy Barnes (Willis's attorney):
  • Criticized the committee as politically motivated:

    “It is in bad faith, it should never have happened, and I'll represent her to the fullest of my ability.” (01:08)

• State Senator Greg Dolezal:
  • Defended the committee’s role:

    “We wouldn't need to be here at all if the DA had not been stonewalling the committee for a year and a half.” (01:19)

• Status: Lawyers argued at the state Supreme Court about whether Willis must testify; a decision is expected by term’s end.

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2. Georgia Power’s Push for More Electricity Generation

[01:32–02:34]

• Issue:
  • Georgia Power wants to increase generation capacity dramatically to serve the power needs of new data centers.
• Grant Blankenship (reporter):
  • Georgia Power has recently signed contracts needing as much electricity as Nuclear Plant Vogtle produces; aims to add more than double that to secure future growth.
  • Public Service Commission (PSC) staff argue new generation should require contracts as backup; warn of risks to regular customers who could be saddled with costs for unneeded power.
  • Georgia Power warns that without more power, economic development could falter; they admit their market predictions are risky, but do not clarify the implications.
  • Vote: The PSC is set to make a final decision on December 19th.

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3. Health Care Affordability and ACA Subsidies

[02:34–03:33]

• Legislative Action:
  • U.S. Senate to vote on extending ACA subsidies; Georgia lawmakers are split on state approaches to lowering premiums.
• Sarah Kalis (reporter):
  • Georgia Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones:
    • Pushing a revived bill to create a health care affordability program.
    • Quoted critiquing state Republicans:

      “Not only do Republicans refuse to act, they actively ignore legislation that will bring solutions to these problems.” (02:58–03:06)

  • State Senator Ben Watson (Republican):
    • Argues for continuation of Pathways to Coverage to help those not qualifying for Medicaid:

      “But for the hysteria to get started here in the state is just unwarranted now, and I think it's unwarranted in the future.” (03:16–03:23)

  • Observation: Premiums are spiking during open enrollment.

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4. State Senate Shake-Up and GOP Race

[03:33–04:07]

• Announcement:
  • State Senate leader John Kennedy resigns to focus on his run for lieutenant governor.
  • He’s banking on business backing and has a record of legal reform.
  • His resignation clears the way for campaign fundraising ahead of the 2026 legislative session.

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5. Transgender Health Care in Georgia Prisons

[04:07–04:44]

• Legal Update:
  • Federal judge allowed gender-affirming care (e.g., hormone therapy) for transgender inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
  • Attorney General Chris Carr has appealed, threatening litigation up to the Supreme Court.
  • The law barring such care began in May, after intense debate.

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6. UGA’s Legion Pool: Historic Site Faces Demolition

[04:44–05:45]

• Context:
  • University of Georgia considers demolishing Legion Pool (built 1936) for more green space.
  • Preservationists, led by Tommy Valentine (Historic Athens), strongly object.

    “We personally have experienced a surge in communication related to this. Unlike almost any other project we've seen in a decade. This is a place that the community really cares about. This is a place where people learn to swim or taught their kids to swim. This is a place where people volunteer. This is a place where community organizations go.” (05:15–05:32)

  • University argues pool attendance is too low and it's overly reliant on student activity fees.

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7. Free Admission at National Center for Civil and Human Rights

[06:07–06:30]

• Event:
  • Free entry as part of Universal Declaration of Human Rights Day celebrations.
  • The center recently reopened after a $60 million renovation.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Tommy Valentine (Historic Athens):

  “This is a place that the community really cares about. This is a place where people learn to swim or taught their kids to swim. This is a place where people volunteer. This is a place where community organizations go.” (05:15–05:32)

• Gov. Roy Barnes (on Fani Willis investigation):

  “It is in bad faith, it should never have happened, and I'll represent her to the fullest of my ability.” (01:08)

• State Sen. Greg Dolezal (on DA investigation):

  “We wouldn't need to be here at all if the DA had not been stonewalling the committee for a year and a half.” (01:19)

• Sen. Harold Jones (on healthcare legislation):

  “Not only do Republicans refuse to act, they actively ignore legislation that will bring solutions to these problems.” (02:58–03:06)

• Sen. Ben Watson (on health care debates):

  “But for the hysteria to get started here in the state is just unwarranted now, and I think it's unwarranted in the future.” (03:16–03:23)

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Segment Timestamps

• 00:39–01:32 – Fani Willis investigation and legal debate
• 01:32–02:34 – Georgia Power, PSC, and data center electricity demand
• 02:34–03:33 – ACA subsidy vote and health care proposals
• 03:33–04:07 – State Senator John Kennedy’s resignation and campaign
• 04:07–04:44 – Federal ruling on gender-affirming care in prisons
• 04:44–05:45 – UGA Legion Pool controversy
• 06:07–06:30 – National Center for Civil and Human Rights free admission

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Tone and Style

The episode is succinct, fact-driven, and relays key state policy debates with direct speaker quotes and minimal editorializing, keeping the focus on Georgia politics, policy, and community interests.

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For full details and more stories, visit GPB News.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, Georgia Power fights for more electricity to fulfill its Data center contracts. U.S. senators expect to vote on a measure to extend Affordable Care act subsidies, and the University of Georgia's plan to demolish a historic swimming pool faces pushback.

[B]

We personally have experienced a surge in communication related to this. Unlike almost any other project we've seen in a decade. This is a place that the community really cares about.

[A]

Today is Tuesday, December 9th. I'm Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will testify later this month before the state Senate committee investigating her. Former governor Roy Barnes is Willis's attorney. He says she will honor the subpoena and testify on December 17. But he says the committee is politically motivated, it is in bad faith, it should never have happened, and I'll represent her to the fullest of my ability. State Senator Greg Dolezal says it's the committee's duty to investigate allegations of misconduct against Willis. We wouldn't need to be here at all if the DA had not been stonewalling the committee for a year and a half. Lawyers for Willis in the state Senate argued in front of the state Supreme Court today about whether Willis was constitutionally required to testify. The court is expected to issue a decision on that question by the end of the term.

Georgia Power is refuting an analysis by professional staff at the Public Service Commission about the utilities case for adding an unprecedented amount of generation capacity to power new data centers, GPB's Grant Blankenship explains.

[C]

Georgia Power says it's closed data center contracts in just the last year that require about as much electricity as produced by nuclear power plant Vogel. To land more contracts, the utility wants to add the equivalent of more than two Vogels. But PSC professional staff tell the elected commission there should be no new power generation without contracts to back it up, they say. Otherwise, regular customers could be stuck paying back billions for power no one needs. In their rebuttal, Georgia Power executives say being left without what they predict is the power they'll need for future data centers would stifle economic development growth in Georgia. They also acknowledge their predictions are risky, though they don't say for whom. The final PSC vote on Georgia Power's request is on December 19th. For GPB news, I'm Grant Blankenship.

[A]

U.S. senators are expected to vote this week on a measure that could extend Affordable Care act subsidies. Meanwhile, Georgia state lawmakers are weighing their own options to make health care more affordable. GPB's Sarah Kalis reports.

[D]

Georgia Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones says Democrats plan to revive a bill from last session filed by Democrats Democrats. It would create a health care affordability program to lower premiums.

[A]

Not only do Republicans refuse to act.

[C]

They actively ignore legislation that will bring solutions to these problems.

[D]

Republican State Senator Ben Watson says Georgia should stick with the state's Pathways to Coverage program that helps those who do not qualify for Medicaid pay for health care.

[C]

But for the hysteria to get started here in the state is just unwarranted now, and I think it's unwarranted in the future.

[D]

Consumers are seeing premiums skyrocket during open enrollment. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kalis at the state Capitol.

[A]

A Georgia Senate leader is resigning from the Legislature to focus on his Republican campaign for lieutenant governor. Republican State Senator John Kennedy, a Macon lawyer, has served as Senate president pro tem. He's joined a crowded field of GOP candidates and is banking on support from Georgia business leaders after helping pass a law limiting lawsuits and civil verdicts. He faces three prominent Republicans and a Democrat in the race to succeed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who's running for governor. Resigning will enable him to raise campaign cash during the state's 2026 legislative session.

A federal judge has struck down Georgia's ban on gender affirming care for transgender people in state prisons. The ruling, issued last week, means that about 340 people with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria in state prisons can receive treatment like hormone therapy. Their doctors deem it necessary. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's office appealed the ruling yesterday. Carr says he's willing to fight the case all the way to the U.S. supreme Court. The law that bans gender affirming care for transgender people in state prisons went into effect in May after sparking controversy in both chambers during this year's legislative session.

The University of Georgia is considering the demolition of a historic swimming pool to create additional green space on campus, but some preservationists are pushing back on the plans. GPB's Chase McGee has more.

[E]

Legion Pool was built in 1936, a new deal era project funded in part by the Public Works Administration. Naval cadets trained there during World War II, and it was integrated alongside the university in 1961. Tommy Valentine is the director of Historic Athens, a nonprofit that works to preserve historic sites. He says it's an invaluable place for both students and Athenians.

[B]

We personally have experienced a surge in communication related to this. Unlike almost any other project we've seen in a decade. This is a place that the community really cares about. This is a place where people learn to swim or taught their kids to swim. This is a place where people volunteer. This is a place where community organizations go.

[E]

The university cites low attendance and reliance on student activity fees as a reason why it should be removed. For GPB news, I'm Chase McGee.

[F]

How does AI even work? Where does creativity come from? What's the secret to living longer? TED Radio Hour explores the biggest questions with some of the world's greatest thinkers. They will surprise, challenge and even change you. Listen to NPR's TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts.

[A]

Admission for the national center for Civil and Human Rights will be free for all guests tomorrow. The special admission deal is part of the Atlanta Museum Celebration of Universal Declaration of Human Rights Day. The center reopened last month after a nearly $60 million renovation of its galleries and exhibits. Curators say the event tomorrow will celebrate dignity, freedom and human rights for all.

And that is it for this edition of GEORGIA Today. Today, a new book by Georgia author Christie Demiester hits shelves. It's called Dark Sisters, and it's a horror novel about conformity and being true to yourself. It's also the subject of the latest episode of Narrative Edge, GPB's podcast about books with Georgia connections. Now that you have wrapped up Georgia Today, check out Narrative Edge. It's available in whatever app you are using right now. If you want to learn more about the stories you heard on Georgia Today, check out our website, gpb.org news make sure you subscribe to this podcast and send us feedback if you've got it. The best way to do that is to send it by email. The address is Georgia todaypb.org I'm Peter Biellor. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

[F]

How does AI even work? Where does creativity come from? What's the secret to living longer? TED Radio Hour explores the biggest questions with some of the world's greatest thinkers. They will surprise, challenge and even change you. Listen to NPR's TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts.