Former PSC Candidate Faces Felony Charge Amid Heated Energy Dispute
A heated standoff between Georgia Power and one of its most outspoken critics has taken a dramatic turn.
Former Democratic Public Service Commission candidate Patty Durand was arrested and charged with felony theft this week, following allegations that she removed confidential materials during a state energy hearing.
According to Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB), Durand was taken into custody Tuesday by Georgia Capitol Police after the company accused her of stealing trade secrets. The charges stem from an incident during a public hearing about Georgia Power’s controversial request to add thousands of megawatts of new energy capacity, much of it directed toward data centers.
Durand, who runs a consumer advocacy group called Georgia Utility Watch, has long criticized the company’s practices, accusing it of prioritizing corporate profits over ratepayer transparency and renewable energy investment.
The Moment That Sparked the Arrest
Video from the day of the hearing reportedly shows Durand, dressed in a brown jacket, walking to a table, briefly picking up a booklet, and setting it back down. Moments later, she is seen on camera taking another booklet, placing it in her bag, and leaving the room.
Authorities have not said what was contained in the materials, or whether they were classified as official trade secrets. Georgia Power maintains that the documents were proprietary and part of restricted internal data used in the company’s ongoing regulatory filings.
“It remains unclear what officials believe Durand intended to do with the materials she allegedly took,” GPB reported.
The company confirmed it is cooperating with investigators in what it described as an ongoing matter involving “unauthorized removal of confidential documents.”
A Hearing That Set the Stage
The alleged theft occurred during a key proceeding before the Public Service Commission (PSC) — one that could reshape Georgia’s energy future for decades.
The hearing centered on Georgia Power’s proposal to add nearly 10,000 megawatts to the state’s power grid. Roughly 60% of that energy would come from expanding or constructing new natural gas plants, while the remaining 40% would come from renewable sources such as solar.
Durand had been one of the loudest voices opposing the plan, arguing it locks Georgia into fossil fuels while driving up consumer costs.
During her public remarks, she accused Georgia Power of protecting its own gas subsidiaries instead of investing in cleaner technologies like solar and battery storage.
“There is no court in the land that would allow that kind of corruption to go on,” Durand said at the hearing. “And I have no idea why the state of Georgia does.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOcpo-9jNVc
Transparency Fight Turns Personal
Durand’s criticism of Georgia Power isn’t new — it has been a defining feature of her activism.
In a recent GPB interview, she condemned what she described as the company’s secrecy and use of redactions to hide the true cost of its deals with data centers.
“The Public Service Commission allows very heavy redactions and trade secrets,” she said. “The contracts between Georgia Power and the data centers are also redacted and trade secreted. So no one will know what they actually charge.”
Durand, who previously ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the PSC, launched Georgians for Affordable Energy this year — a watchdog group aimed at promoting accountability in the state’s utility industry.
But her arrest has raised difficult questions for both sides: was it an act of civil disobedience, or a clear violation of the law?
Partisan Reactions Erupt
Within hours of the arrest, political reactions poured in.
Georgia Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon issued a pointed statement condemning Durand’s actions and highlighting what he called a “pattern of hypocrisy” within Democratic circles.
“Patty Durand built her brand attacking the Public Service Commission, and now she’s been arrested for stealing from it,” McKoon said.
He continued: “This is the same failed Democrat PSC candidate who parades around as a so-called ‘watchdog’ while caught on video taking confidential Georgia Power materials. While Republican leaders are working to keep energy reliable and affordable for Georgia families, Democrats like Durand are sneaking around government offices and walking off with stolen documents.”
Democratic officials, meanwhile, have largely remained silent as the case unfolds — with some privately expressing concern that the incident could undermine broader efforts to challenge Georgia Power’s policies.
Political Ties Under Scrutiny
Durand’s connections within the Democratic Party are also drawing new attention.
Her campaign website prominently features a photo alongside Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), a key figure in Georgia’s Democratic resurgence. Critics note that Ossoff himself has faced controversies surrounding his staff hires and policy positions, including reports of aides who supported open-border initiatives.
Conservative outlets have pointed out that the Georgia Democrat’s allies, including national progressives like Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), have supported efforts that prioritize access to taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants — a policy position Republicans have labeled as “extreme.”
While those issues may seem distant from Durand’s arrest, the optics of yet another Democratic official facing criminal charges have amplified partisan narratives heading into the next election cycle.
Another Party Scandal in the Spotlight
Durand’s case arrives on the heels of other high-profile Democratic legal troubles in recent months.
In July, Minnesota state Sen. Nicole Mitchell, another Democrat, was convicted of felony burglary after being caught breaking into her stepmother’s home. Mitchell said she had been trying to retrieve family belongings following her father’s death, but prosecutors described the act as a clear violation of the law.
The back-to-back cases have prompted questions about accountability and public trust, especially as both women positioned themselves as progressive reformers prior to their arrests.
Legal Path Ahead
Durand’s legal team has not issued a public statement. If convicted of felony theft, she could face up to ten years in prison under Georgia law, depending on the nature and value of the property involved.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has not confirmed whether the documents Durand allegedly removed contained classified information or sensitive commercial data, but law enforcement sources indicate the matter is being treated seriously.
As the investigation continues, the PSC’s hearings on Georgia Power’s expansion plans are expected to move forward — now under the cloud of an unexpected scandal that has blurred the line between regulatory oversight and political theater.
Energy Policy and Politics Collide
Beyond the criminal case, the episode underscores the increasingly politicized nature of energy policy in Georgia.
With tech companies and data centers driving surging energy demand, the debate over how to power the state has become a proxy fight between progressives pushing for green reform and conservatives emphasizing affordability and reliability.
Durand’s arrest — regardless of outcome — could reshape that conversation by turning one of Georgia Power’s fiercest critics into the center of a criminal controversy.
What Comes Next
As Durand awaits her next court appearance, speculation continues over what the arrest means for her advocacy group and for broader Democratic messaging in the state.
Republicans are likely to seize on the case as evidence of misconduct within the opposition party, while Durand’s supporters will argue that the arrest reflects corporate retaliation against a whistleblower who dared to challenge one of Georgia’s most powerful institutions.
Either way, Georgia’s energy fight — once confined to boardrooms and policy hearings — has spilled into the headlines, setting the stage for a broader battle over power, politics, and accountability.
James Jenkins is a celebrated Pulitzer Prize-winning author whose work has reshaped the way readers think about social justice and human rights in America. Raised in Atlanta, Georgia, James grew up in a community that instilled in him both resilience and a strong sense of responsibility toward others. After studying political science and creative writing at Howard University, he worked as a journalist covering civil rights issues before dedicating himself fully to fiction. His novels are known for their sharp, empathetic portraits of marginalized communities and for weaving personal stories with broader political realities. Jenkins’s breakout novel, Shadows of Freedom, won national acclaim for its unflinching look at systemic inequality, while his more recent works explore themes of identity, resilience, and the fight for dignity in the face of oppression. Beyond his novels, James is an active public speaker, lecturing at universities and participating in nonprofit initiatives that support literacy and community empowerment. He believes that storytelling is a way to preserve history and inspire change. When not writing, James enjoys jazz music, mentoring young writers, and traveling with his family to explore cultures and stories around the world.
