Georgia Power has accused Patty Durand, a former Democratic candidate for Georgia’s Public Service Commission (PSC), of stealing trade secrets during a recent state energy hearing. Durand, who has been a vocal critic of the utility giant and now leads the watchdog organization Georgia Utility Watch, was arrested Tuesday by Georgia Capitol Police and charged with felony theft, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB). The arrest followed an incident at a PSC hearing where Georgia Power was requesting authorization to add new energy capacity—roughly equivalent to two Plant Vogtle nuclear units—to meet rising demand from data centers across the state.
Video footage from the hearing reportedly shows Durand, dressed in a brown jacket, approaching a desk and examining a booklet before setting it down. Moments later, she is seen taking another booklet from a different desk, placing it into her bag, and leaving the room. Officials have not yet disclosed what the booklet contained or what Durand intended to do with it, but Georgia Power has accused her of stealing proprietary company materials. The company stated that it is cooperating fully with law enforcement as the investigation proceeds.
Durand has long opposed Georgia Power’s close relationships with data centers and the lack of transparency surrounding their contracts. In an earlier interview with GPB, she criticized the PSC for allowing extensive redactions in public filings, saying, “The Public Service Commission allows very heavy redactions and trade secrets. So the contracts between Georgia Power and the data centers are also redacted and trade secreted. No one will know what they actually charge data centers.” Her advocacy work has focused on exposing what she sees as unfair rate structures that burden ordinary customers while benefiting large corporations.
The PSC hearings where the incident occurred were part of Georgia Power’s request to add nearly 10,000 megawatts of new power to the state’s grid. According to The Georgia Recorder, about 60% of this proposed energy would come from natural gas expansion, while 40% would derive from renewable sources such as solar power. During her testimony at the hearing, Durand accused Georgia Power of prioritizing profit over sustainability, arguing that the company’s plan favors its affiliated gas companies rather than investing in renewable energy and battery storage. “There is no court in the land that would allow that kind of corruption to go on, and I have no idea why the state of Georgia does,” she said during her remarks.
Durand’s arrest sparked immediate political backlash. Georgia Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon issued a statement criticizing her, saying, “Patty Durand built her brand attacking the Public Service Commission and now she’s been arrested for stealing from it.” McKoon accused her of hypocrisy, calling her “a so-called watchdog” caught “walking off with stolen documents.” He contrasted Durand’s actions with what he described as Republican efforts to maintain reliable and affordable energy for Georgia families. The remarks highlight how Durand’s arrest has quickly become a partisan flashpoint in Georgia’s ongoing political battles over energy policy and regulation.
Beyond the immediate controversy, Durand’s case comes amid heightened scrutiny of Democratic officials nationwide. Conservative outlets have drawn comparisons between her arrest and recent cases involving other Democrats accused of criminal misconduct, including Minnesota State Senator Nicole Mitchell, who was convicted of felony burglary earlier this year. While Durand’s supporters claim the charges are politically motivated and reflect Georgia Power’s attempts to silence a prominent critic, her opponents argue that the arrest underscores a lack of integrity in her activism. As the investigation continues, the incident has amplified debate over transparency, corporate influence, and accountability within Georgia’s energy sector—issues that have long defined Durand’s public career.
