Tricia Pridemore, a former Deal and Kemp administration official, was appointed to the Public Service Commission in 2018 and elected later that year; she has served as PSC chair and as 2024–25 president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. She champions Georgia Power’s data-center-driven build-out as “energy dominance” and emphasizes reliable baseload over renewables.
Office & background
- PSC Commissioner, District 5 (2018–present); former chair
- President, NARUC (2024–2025)
- Deal & Kemp administration roles (workforce / economic development)
Campaign finance — who funds them
$557,278 raised · $11,800 cash on hand
- $10,000Ben J Tarbutton (Sandersville, GA)
- $8,400ShadowBox Studios LLC (Atlanta, GA)
- $8,400LeFebvre, Dale (Douglasville, GA)
- $8,400Ormsby, Kyle (Conyers, GA)
- $8,400Day, Todd (Monroe, GA)
- $5,000ConnectSouth For a Better GA PAC Inc (Atlanta, GA)
Finance as of Jun 28, 2026 — latest GA Ethics filing (2026 Apr 30 CCDR).
Source: Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission (PeachFile)
Where they stand
Champions Georgia Power’s data-center build-out as “energy dominance,” joining a unanimous December 2025 vote approving a ~$16 billion expansion (largely new gas). In May 2026 she was part of a 3-2 majority approving a disputed fuel deal and rejecting amendments from new Commissioner Hubbard.
Source: AJC — PSC OKs $16B data-center expansion · GPB — PSC backs disputed fuel dealVoted with the all-Republican commission to approve the series of rate increases since 2023, and in July 2025 joined the unanimous vote to freeze base rates through at least 2028 — a freeze that does not cover fuel or Hurricane Helene storm-recovery costs.
Source: Grist — rate freezeVoted for the 2025 IRP, which provides a process for up to 4,000 MW of utility-scale renewables, but her public framing emphasizes reliable baseload (gas and nuclear); she supports keeping solar as part of a “diversified” mix.
Source: PSC — Commissioner PridemoreFavors a “diversified” mix emphasizing baseload — publicly championing natural gas, coal and nuclear — and voted to approve plans dominated by new gas while supporting extended life for coal units.
Source: AJC — PSC OKs fossil-heavy planPart of the unanimous December 2023 vote approving recovery of ~$7.56 billion in Vogtle costs from ratepayers, adding about $14/month to residential bills once Unit 4 came online; a consistent public supporter of the nuclear expansion.
Source: AJC — Vogtle costs to customersVoted for the rate plans and 2025 freeze that locked in Georgia Power’s allowed return of up to 11.9% (above the ~9.5% industry average); in the 2025 freeze it was fellow Republican McDonald, not Pridemore, who moved to lower the cap. One analysis put Georgia Power profits at ~23% of an average bill, which the company disputes.
Source: The Current — Georgia Power profit shareHas supported income-qualified and senior-citizen fuel discounts in rate proceedings, though her votes also approved the cumulative increases consumer advocates say strained low-income ratepayers. No source specifically on her disconnections stance was found.
Source: PSC — senior / income-qualified discountsPublicly skeptical of climate-driven energy policy, emphasizing reliability and deregulation; her approved gas-dominated build-out is criticized by environmental advocates as worsening emissions, while she frames nuclear as a “carbon-free” solution.
Source: GPB — Pridemore won’t seek re-election