# Public Service Commission — District 4 — Lauren “Bubba” McDonald Jr. — The GA Files > Lauren “Bubba” McDonald Jr., Georgia Public Service Commission — District 4 — campaign finance (live from GA Ethics), where they stand, and any scandals. *Source: https://thegafiles.com/officeholders/psc-4.html · The GA Files (thegafiles.com)* --- [← Statewide Officeholders](https://thegafiles.com/officeholders.html) # Public Service Commission — District 4 Lauren “Bubba” McDonald Jr. Republican Republican, District 4. One of the PSC’s longest-serving members (first joined 1998, returned by election in 2008); term through December 2028. Known as a pro-solar voice and the panel’s most frequent dissenter on utility profits. Lauren “Bubba” McDonald Jr., a former longtime state representative, first joined the Public Service Commission in 1998 and returned by election in 2008, making him one of its longest-tenured members. He calls himself “the godfather of Georgia solar” and has been the commission’s most frequent dissenter on how high Georgia Power’s profits are set. #### Office & background - PSC Commissioner, District 4 (1998–2002; 2009–present) - Georgia House of Representatives (~20 years) #### Campaign finance — who funds them **$48,691** raised · **$6,759** cash on hand (McDonald for PSC) - $2,000 — Harrison, John (Ellijay, GA) - $500 — Obrien, James (Glenwood, GA) - $500 — Chickamaugua Telephone Corporation (Bay Springs, GA) - $300 — Pam Hibbs (Trenton, GA) - $300 — Jones, Elizabeth (Trenton, GA) - $300 — Ridge, Vicki (Rising Fawn, GA) Finance as of **May 7, 2026** — latest GA Ethics filing (2026 Apr 30 CCDR). Source: [Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission (PeachFile)](https://peachfile.ethics.ga.gov) #### Where they stand Data centers Framed the PSC’s 2025 large-load rule (special billing for customers over 100 MW) as protecting ratepayers from cost-shifting. In May 2026 he voted with the Republican majority to approve a Georgia Power fuel-cost deal while the commission opened a separate probe of how fuel costs are split between large industrial and residential users. Source: [11Alive — PSC data-center rule](https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/georgia-public-service-commission-approves-new-rule-data-centers-effort-protect-ratepayers-cost-shifting/85-9e43defd-379b-406a-ba1c-16e7d02b659e) · [GPB — PSC backs disputed fuel deal](https://www.gpb.org/news/2026/05/29/georgia-psc-backs-disputed-georgia-power-fuel-deal-amid-data-center-cost-concerns) Georgia Power rates & bills Was the lone “no” vote on the December 2022 4-1 rate-plan decision, objecting that the profit cap was set too high. In July 2025 he joined the unanimous base-rate freeze through 2028, but first moved to lower the utility’s profit cap — a motion that died for lack of a second. Source: [GPB — 2022 Georgia Power rate hike](https://www.gpb.org/news/2022/12/21/state-energy-regulators-approve-georgia-power-rate-hike) · [Grist — rate freeze](https://grist.org/georgia-psc/after-years-of-increases-georgia-power-rates-to-hold-steady-for-now/) Solar & renewables Genuinely distinctive on solar — in 2013 he led the 3-2 vote expanding the Advanced Solar Initiative by 525 MW as a market-driven, no-subsidy approach, and credits his record with helping make Georgia a national solar leader. Source: [SACE — where McDonald stands on energy](https://cleanenergy.org/news/where-the-candidates-stand-on-energy-republican-nominee-for-georgia-public-service-commission-lauren-bubba-mcdonald/) Energy mix (coal, gas, nuclear) A strong nuclear advocate who calls nuclear solar’s “best partner” and favors retiring uneconomic coal and preferring solar to gas (“Fuel from the sun is free”); he nonetheless joined the unanimous 2025 IRP extending coal and gas for data-center load. Source: [SACE — where McDonald stands on energy](https://cleanenergy.org/news/where-the-candidates-stand-on-energy-republican-nominee-for-georgia-public-service-commission-lauren-bubba-mcdonald/) Plant Vogtle & cost overruns The only sitting commissioner who voted in 2009 to build Vogtle Units 3 & 4; he defended the project before the December 2023 vote passing ~$7.56 billion of costs to ratepayers, saying Georgians would “enjoy the benefits for the next eighty-plus years.” Source: [Georgia Recorder — $7.6B Vogtle tab to ratepayers](https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/12/19/state-regulators-pass-along-7-6b-tab-to-ratepayers-for-georgia-powers-plant-vogtle/) Utility profits & accountability The commissioner most publicly critical of Georgia Power’s profit level: the lone 2022 dissenter (wanting the earnings cap at 11.5% rather than 11.9%), and in 2025 he again unsuccessfully moved to trim the ROE cap. The 11.9% allowed return is well above the ~9.5% industry average. Source: [GPB — 2022 rate hike (McDonald dissent)](https://www.gpb.org/news/2022/12/21/state-energy-regulators-approve-georgia-power-rate-hike) · [The Current — Georgia Power profit share](https://thecurrentga.org/2026/03/31/report-puts-ga-power-profits-at-23-of-bills-a-figure-the-company-disputes/) Energy affordability & low-income His affordability stance comes mainly through his profit-cap objections — arguing the company’s profit was set too high — and he backed the 2025 freeze partly as ratepayer relief. No McDonald-specific position on disconnections was found. Source: [Grist — rate freeze](https://grist.org/georgia-psc/after-years-of-increases-georgia-power-rates-to-hold-steady-for-now/) Climate & environment Acknowledges climate concerns but frames Georgia’s approach in market terms — “Climate change is bigger than Georgia” — noting the state pursued carbon-free nuclear and solar “without waiting for the EPA.” His climate record is essentially his pro-solar, pro-nuclear advocacy. Source: [SACE — where McDonald stands on energy](https://cleanenergy.org/news/where-the-candidates-stand-on-energy-republican-nominee-for-georgia-public-service-commission-lauren-bubba-mcdonald/) #### More - [Georgia Public Service Commission](https://psc.ga.gov/) [⬇ Share image](https://thegafiles.com/share/officeholders/psc-4.png) Finance figures are pulled live from the Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission (PeachFile) and are current to each officeholder's most recent filed disclosure report. Policy summaries reflect stated positions and signed records, with sources; scandals are labeled by disposition. Last updated 2026-06-28.