Hello, I am Patrick Quinn, senior reporter at Atlanta News First.

Welcome to the Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young Debate Series from the studios of Georgia Public Broadcasting.

The 2026 debate series was made possible by the grants to the Atlanta Press Club from the Arthur M Blank Family Foundation and the Robert Charles Loudermilk Senior Foundation.

This is the Runoff Debate for Republican candidates running for Georgia District 5 Public Service Commission.

We have two journalists who will question the candidates.

Alondra Rocha is a reporter for the Georgia Recorder, and Kristi Schwarz is a climate reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

I'm going to kick off today's debate, asking each of the candidates to introduce themselves and tell viewers why they should be the next District 5 public service commissioner.

Candidates will have 60s to introduce themselves.

We will go in alphabetical order, starting with Bobby Mehan.

Well thank you.

Good morning.

Georgia.

Um, and thank you to the Atlanta Press Club for having me.

Uh, my name is Bobby Meehan, candidate for Public Service Commission.

Since it's a Sunday morning, I'll begin with some wisdom literature from the book of Proverbs, chapter 29, verse 18, where there is no vision, the people perish.

Throughout this campaign, I have cast a clear vision.

No new rate increases.

I've spent my career building businesses, serving customers, and focusing on growth to control the cost of doing business.

If elected as your public service Commissioner, I'll embrace in all the above energy strategy and leverage Georgia's growing demand to help make power affordable, reliable, and clean for every Georgian.

Thank you Bobby.

Josh, would you like to introduce yourself?

Hi, I'm Josh Tolbert.

I am a Christian.

I'm a husband to my wife Mary, a dad to my five young kids.

And I am an engineer running for the Public Service Commission.

Like many Georgians, I am concerned with the rising price of electricity across our state, and when I started studying the Public Service Commission, there is something that shocked me.

There is not a single engineer on the commission, and that surprised me because the choices the Public Service Commission make are deeply technical in nature, and we need that expertise on the Commission.

That is the message we've been sharing around our state, and I am honored that it has resonated.

147 counties chose us on election night, and I am honored to continue to share that message, because our message is simple.

This job is technical.

It's time we send an engineer to do it.

I'm Josh Tolbert and I'm running for Public Service Commission candidates.

Thanks for the introductions.

Now let's get to the issues for the full set of debate rules, please visit Atlanta Press club.org.

Our panel now will ask a question to an individual candidate.

We'll start with Alondra Rocha, who will ask a question for Josh Tolbert.

Once again, you have 60s for your response.

Mr.

Tolbert, there's been pushback against distributed Plug-In solar, often called balcony solar panels.

As an engineer, do you agree with critics that balcony solar may pose a safety risk or is not needed?

Or do you support Georgians having the ability to have plug in solar?

Thank you for the question.

I support Georgians to have opportunities for distributed, distributed power, including solar power.

So as we look through the competitive market, the best way that we can reduce the prices of electricity or to provide more opportunities.

And solar is certainly a piece of that pie.

Now we'll turn to Christy Schwarz.

Please ask a question of Bobby Meehan.

Hi.

Good morning.

So let's talk about data centers and let's talk about this rate pledge.

Um, a deal struck last year between Georgia Power and other parties in the commission.

Um, they've agreed to take some of the upcoming revenue from data centers to tamp down rates.

Should they ask for rate increase in the next cycle.

And that's when in three years.

But looking ahead to six years, nothing's been nothing's been promised and nothing's in stone.

So we could say that they could take that same that same platform and take all that revenue from the data centers and apply it.

Looking forward.

But what if those data centers don't come and that promised revenue isn't there, and they come to you and they say, we made this forecast, but these things didn't come to fruition.

And we need to change our stance.

What do you say?

Well, it's a terrific question, and I'm mindful that by law, the utilities can recover their their investments.

Um, however, as regulators, we do have tools in our toolbox that allowed us to avoid rate increases.

Um, that's what allows me to make a good faith effort and commitment to no new rate increases.

Um, I'm a business person, so I've kind of built a roadmap of some things that I think that are in place right now that would, that would address that.

One, obviously there is a base rate freeze in place for at least through 2028.

So that gets us through two years, right?

If we're looking at six years on this commitment.

Um, number two is and this came straight from Georgia Power, the growing pipeline of large load customers is helping spread cost across the base.

And Georgia Power has committed okay to an annual savings of $102 per year for the average residential customer starting in 2029.

That gets us to three.

And that's just starting in 2029.

Um, also taking a look at their profit margins, making sure that they are in line with other utilities across the country.

Um, I'm certainly for everybody doing well, their stakeholders and the companies, but if they are out of line, you know, those can be throttled back a little bit and.

We're going to end it there.

We'll have plenty of time to get into some of the more points, but we'll stop time there.

Christy, though, we'll stay with you.

If you wanted to ask another question, similar question, different question to Josh.

Um, again, you, you talk up your experience in, during the last debate, the degrees that you had in engineering.

Um, and, and you're correct.

I mean, I can't remember the last time there's been an engineer on the Public Service Commission.

Um, if elected, I, I have a feeling that you'll be told, well, Georgia Power has its engineers and the Intervenors have their engineers and the Public Service Commission staff is made up of a lot of certified engineers.

And so it's more that it wouldn't be your technical expertise.

It would be that you would probably be facing this very strong political machine that says we do things a certain way, and this is how it's done.

This is how we've always, always done it.

So what would be your your response to that?

And how would you kind of navigate that complicated process?

That's a fantastic question.

And you're right, there are political pressures, but it's a lot easier to address those political pressures when you fully understand the facts.

The question you just asked, Bobby, was about a decision made in December about the power for data centers, and Georgia power experts were saying, we need this amount of power.

And the internal staff experts were saying, no, we need less power.

But at the end of the day, the commissioner has to make the decision and you have political pressures pulling you in multiple directions.

It is a lot easier to make that decision when you yourself are an expert and understand the details so you can evaluate it independently and make an objective decision, and that's what I will bring.

I will be able to ask the hard questions, dig into the details, and make an make an independent decision based on the facts of the case.

Eleanor, we'll now turn to you.

You have a question for Bobby Meehan.

Mr.

Meehan, similar question about your background.

You are a mediator with a background in health care business.

Why should Georgians trust you to be an effective energy regulator?

And how do you how do you weigh those against political pressures?

Well, going going back to what Josh said, you know, he believes that a a expert, he is a expert and he can help guide, um, the, the PSC and the utilities and the interveners where I believe as a business person, I don't have to be the smartest guy in the room.

I hire the smartest people to be in the room.

And I leverage their expertise.

I'm a team player and I'm not coming into this position saying that I am the expert at energy policy and that I'm going to tell everybody what to do.

I'm going to listen to all the parties involved.

Georgia Power's got a lot of smart people.

The PSC spends a lot of money, $10.5 million a year on engineers that they have on staff.

I'm going to rely on what they say and then make an informed decision, just like I would in a business setting, which is what I have been doing for the last two decades.

All right, let's keep things moving.

That concludes our first round.

Each candidate will now ask a question to their opponent.

You'll have 30s to ask the question, 60s to respond.

And the person who asked the question will get a 32nd rebuttal.

Bobby Mehan you may ask your first question to Josh Tolbert.

Okay.

Um, and first of all, I have enjoyed getting to work with Josh, just so you know, uh, I would classify this as somewhat of a softball question for you.

But in our last debate, you challenged me on my pledge of no new rate increases and said that there were situations, um, where rates would still need to go up.

So my question is, what do you believe?

What are some reasons that Georgia families should still have to pay higher power bills?

Thank you for the question.

It's a great question.

I have been campaigning on lowering rates through technical decision making, and that will never change.

My perspective is that we need to objectively evaluate each and every proposal, and I hope to never have a single rate increase.

But Georgians don't need a no man any more than a yes man, and just blindly promising to vote no each and every time is not what Georgians need.

They need someone that's going to independently evaluate, evaluate every opportunity, and make the right decision for Georgians.

I cannot predict what's going to happen in the future, but I know that I will be able to dig in, ask the questions, and provide the best objective decision for Georgians.

Bobby, would you like a rebuttal?

Yeah.

Just quickly, you know, anytime in my career that I have ever got a subject matter expert involved in a project, um, it always costs more money.

It gets convoluted and it takes more time.

And now you've got more cooks in the kitchen.

And so, uh, you know, I guess my, my rebuttal is that I think having an engineer on top of engineer on top of engineer come in, it's, it's going to cost more than it will save.

All right, Josh, your turn now to turn the tables.

Question for Bobby Mehan.

Bobby, throughout this campaign, you have repeatedly promised that you will not increase power rates for Georgians.

Can you tell us what is the current residential power rate and what are the many factors that go into determining that rate?

Yeah, I mean, I can tell you what I pay for my, my bill each and every day or each and every month.

Um, you can go online and you can break down exactly what that bill references.

But at the end of the day, the majority of Georgians that I speak with each and every day, don't say, Bobby, tell me what each and every little line item costs.

They say it's going to cost me 200 bucks this month.

It's going to cost me 300 bucks this month.

And so I'm looking at it from a holistic approach and figuring out how we drive cost down, put top down pressure on the rates, not focusing on the line items themselves.

Would you like a rebuttal?

Josh?

Yes.

I mean, you're right, each and every Georgian might not know all the factors that go into the rates, but they're also not on the Public Service Commission.

You're asking to be on the Public Service Commission.

This is some of the things I've been talking about on this campaign that we're hearing promises about not increasing rates, but it doesn't sound like you fully understand what makes up those rates.

And it sounds like empty promises to win an election.

We're turning people's power bills into a slogan.

Georgians don't need slogans.

They need a commissioner that can evaluate the decisions and make an objective choice for the ratepayers.

You are watching the Republican Runoff Debate for Georgia District 5 Public Service Commission will now go back to the panel, who will ask questions to the candidate of their choice.

Until we run out of time, we'll start with Christy Schwartz.

Um, Mr.

Tolbert, it's clear that there's a lot of backlash against data centers.

It's in Georgia through the southeast, nationwide.

As you and I talked, the Public Service Commission does not regulate data centers.

That's up to local towns and county commissioners.

But let's say this trend keeps going.

And in a couple of years, Georgia Power comes back and says, we have a need for X amount demand, and we need to expand the grid again.

Um, and it's clear that most of it's going toward these data centers.

How do you make that decision?

Do you do you look at it narrowly in terms of whether Georgia Power met its need and prove their point that they need this power?

Or do you let other factors come in in terms of knowing that that might put stress on communities or the counties just don't want any more of these, or that the data centers are going in by low income communities or communities of color.

Does that factor in at all?

And how does it.

As a great question, and thank you for pointing out that the Public Service Commission does not actually determine if data centers come here or not.

I'm sure Bobby can agree.

We get asked that question a lot what the Public Service Commission does determine is where they get their electricity and who pays for it.

And that is where our the focus of the Public Service Commission needs to be when it comes to data centers.

A big decision was made from the public in the Public Service Commission last fall about building infrastructure for data centers.

The fact is, if we overbuild that infrastructure for data centers, that is.

Cost that you and I will be paying.

If we rightsize the grid, if we build it correctly, there can be some advantages of data centers.

So the perspective I take on data centers is sticking in the lane of what the Public Service Commission is supposed to do.

Look at the data, the facts, and make the best decision of what is going to create the strongest Georgia moving forward.

We'll now turn to Islander Alondra Rocha.

If you'd like a question to a candidate of your choice.

Uh, if I may ask both candidates, uh, last fall, Democrats flipped two seats on a. Then all Republican Commission by promising to lower energy bills in an election year where affordability is still on top of voters minds.

Why should they trust you, a Republican, to do the same, starting with Tolbert.

Okay, what I am, as I mentioned a minute ago in the question Bobby asked, I have campaigned on reducing lower rates through technical decision making.

What I am not going to do is make a promise on a guarantee that neither I, nor Bobby, nor the Democratic commissioners can guarantee.

I cannot see in the future of what is exactly going to happen.

But what I can say is that, like I've repeatedly said over and over and over, each and every decision will be evaluated with technical scrutiny to make sure that any potential rate increases are valuable to the ratepayers and push back on every one of those.

To what alternative options are there to lower the rates?

We talked about data centers.

If data centers are implemented correctly, they pay more than their incremental cost of service and can be used to lower the rates for all Georgians.

But it's going to require somebody that understands the details and and is able to dig into them appropriately.

Bobby, would you like to respond?

Sure.

Um, so, you know that if if technical scrutiny is what Josh is saying that we require, uh, to, to keep the Republicans in power in this seat, then that sounds like to me, that's going to be more time.

Time is money.

Um, if affordability is the number one issue to voters, then I think we've got to figure out how to do this and do this quickly.

Georgia has the ingredients right now to take advantage of the demand that's coming to our state and leverage that.

And that's what I would do, and that's what I have done in business, and that's what I'm good at.

If there's if there's anything that I'm good at, it's the top line growth.

I'm going to stick with this and I'm going to jump in and kind of follow up on this, right.

We haven't it's been a Republican backed PSC for the last 20 years or so.

And there's been a lot of chatter among voters that that could flip depending Democrats.

It could take the majority with data centers being kind of a primary issue for voters.

Our data centers are Partizan issue.

And how does it look different with a Republican backed PSC versus a potentially a Democrat primary or or majority?

PSC?

And Bobby, I'll start with you.

So I can tell you that it is it is nonpartisan data centers, seems to be nonpartisan.

I live in a very red part of the state.

And, uh, and there is a lot of conservatives that are concerned about it.

Um, at the end of the day, local municipalities can decide if a data center comes and is built, the PSC can decide how much power it needs to be required to be responsible for that.

And that right there in and of itself is going to allow us to put the top down.

Pressure on the rates.

And so I think that's probably the big difference, is the energy sources that can support the large load users versus what the Democrats are suggesting.

But I think data centers in and of itself is a is a nonpartisan issue.

Josh, for you, how does the majority change things?

The approach from the PSC, whether it's majority Democrats versus majority Republicans.

It is my opinion the Public Service Commission shouldn't be Partizan to begin with.

Electricity.

Energy is not Partizan.

Whether you're red, whether you're blue.

When it comes to affordability, green is what matters.

And so with data centers, it's a nonpartisan issue.

We see people, a lot of people on both sides of the aisle that are pro data centers and anti data centers.

For me, I think when it talks about numbers and cents, electricity cost, infrastructure grid, these are not partisan issues and these are the decisions before the Public Service Commission.

And so that's why I think it is more about not the party that the commissioner is a part of.

But the independent thought that the commissioner has, whether you're on the Republican side or you're on the Democratic side, if your desire is to protect ratepayers, understand the details and make an informed decision, you and I are going to be on the same page a lot of the time.

All right.

Now, we'll go back to our panelists.

Christie, another question for you.

Okay.

Um, Mr.

Meehan, in your introduction, you mentioned that you were an all of the above energy guy.

Um, and I think that one could argue that if you look at all the types of fuels, fossil fuels, nuclear, renewable, they all have their pros and cons on an economic, on an affordability, reliability, um, and of course, a clean energy standpoint.

Um, and it's been proven that because of fossil fuels, the power industry is, is a gigantic contributor to climate change.

So we know that there's a lot of rhetoric also on both sides.

And there's a lot of misinformation and there's a lot of disinformation because everyone's trying to argue for their for their own point of view and for their own business.

So how are you going to wade through that and cut through all of the noise?

If you're on the dais and you're making those decisions, when Georgia power comes up with their next IRP and their next plan for power plants, whatever type they are.

So if you go to Georgia Power's website, I mean, they they don't hide the fact that they are there in all the above.

Uh, producer, right.

They've got all kinds of different sources.

Um, I have had the opportunity to go to a nuclear site, plant Vogel and understand what that type of power represents to, uh, to the environment.

I've had the opportunity to visit some pulp mill plants that are using biomass, which is considered a renewable.

Um, and what that does to the environment, of course, fossil fuels, coal, et cetera.. Um, there is a time and a place.

At one time, coal was the number one source for fuel.

Now it's like 11% I think.

And now fossil fuels are natural gas is around 40-60 percent.

So I think it's going to continue to evolve.

And as we innovate and get better, we're going to be able to leverage those other fuel sources downstream.

So I don't think we can put a cap on it right now.

As far as, hey, you can only use renewables, you can only use this, you can only use that.

That's why I stand behind and stand firm with all the above energy approach.

And for our last question, Alondra, would you like to ask a question to your candidate of your choice?

Yeah.

If I may ask both candidates again.

Um, and starting with Mr.

Meacham, do you foresee the need for new nuclear power sources in the future?

And if so, how does Georgia achieve that without the cost overruns that plant Vogel faced.?

Nuclear power is is a great source.

It's clean.

It's baseload, and it lasts a long time.

There is a significant upfront cost for nuclear.

We have made that investment okay.

And that's behind us.

Um, I don't see that we're going to be building anything nuclear in the in the near future by any means.

But I do think that the utility companies are always striving to figure out what's the the cheapest, cleanest effective way to provide energy that's out there.

And so I think they're going to constantly be studying, how can we get nuclear, continue to get nuclear in the portfolio?

Um, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

Thank you.

Candidates.

We're going to keep moving that sorry.

Let's, uh, let's have Josh have his chance to answer the question.

No problem.

Uh, I've been a chief technology officer of a small modular reactor, nuclear power company.

I am passionate about nuclear.

I know a lot about nuclear.

It is.

I love the technology of nuclear.

I hate the price of nuclear power we built.

We can build conventional power plants at one to $2 million a megawatt.

And we built plant Vogel for almost $17 million a megawatt.

The problem with the cost of nuclear power is regulation at the federal level.

That's not something we can fix at the state level or on the Public Service Commission.

So while I like nuclear power, the only way that I would support future development of nuclear power is with very strict cost controls.

And the overruns were not potential burden on the ratepayers, but actually on the private investors and the projects.

And I agree with Bobby, I do not see in the near future us going down another road because getting private investment for a nuclear project that has major cost overruns is going to be a challenge.

So while I love the technology of nuclear power, it is a cost problem that we have to address before it's developed in the future.

Now, that's all the time we have for questions.

The candidates will now have 60s for a closing statement.

Josh Tolbert, we'll start with you.

For the last several years, the Public Service Commission has been made up of professionals with non-technical backgrounds, and in that time, Georgians have experienced six rate increases, representing a 33% increase in your power bill.

And my power bill.

My opponent says that what we need is more non-technical people on the commission.

But if we approach the problem in the same way, we always have, we should expect the same result.

That is the message I've been sharing around the state, and it has resonated with over 90% of the counties choosing us on Election Day.

I'm going to continue to spread that message.

This job is technical and it's time we send an engineer to do it.

I'm Josh Tolbert.

I am running for public service Commission, and I would be honored to earn your vote.

Bobby Mehan.

Hey, those ten counties or 10% of the counties that supported me, I appreciate it.

Uh, most importantly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the 241,544 people who did vote for me in the primary election.

Your support means more to me than you'll ever know.

Uh, today you've heard two very different approaches to this job.

My colleague places, uh, technical.

Is at the center of his vision.

My vision remains simple and unchanged.

No new rate increases right now.

Georgians are feeling the squeeze.

My family included.

Groceries cost, more insurance costs, more housing costs, more, um, and everybody's getting tired of hearing that, that bills are just something higher.

Bills are just something they must accept.

Um, I'm not a career politician.

I'm a small business guy from Bremen, a father, a husband.

I'm confident that I'm the best person for this job.

And if elected, what I can promise you is that I will put you the customer first.

Thank you.

Candidates.

We saw a great turnout for the primary.

Let's see that same great turnout for this runoff.

Early voting starts Monday, June eighth and runs through Friday, June 12th.

Election day is Tuesday, June 16.

Mark your calendars for all of that.

We thank the candidates and our panel of journalists.

We'd also like to thank the Atlanta Press Club and Georgia Public Broadcasting for arranging today's debate.

I'm Patrick Quinn, thanks for joining us, and thanks for the Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk Loudermilk-Young Debate Series.