Former PSC Candidate Charged with Theft of Trade Secrets
A former Democratic candidate for the Public Service Commission (PSC) was charged on Tuesday with stealing trade secrets from Georgia Power.
Patty Durand has been accused of grand theft, as reported by Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) on Wednesday.
A public hearing was recently held regarding Georgia Power’s request to integrate the equivalent of two new power plants into the system, mainly for data centers. Interestingly, Durand is known for opposing these centers and any associated rate hikes. She leads a watchdog group called Georgia Utility Watch.
Reportedly, footage from the day of the hearing shows Durand, who was dressed in a brown jacket, going to her desk and handling a booklet. However, she did not keep it but instead moved to another part of the room.
Shortly afterward, she allegedly approached a different desk, appeared to take another booklet, placed it in her bag, and exited the room.
In an interview with GPB back in August, Durand expressed her concerns regarding transparency in the contracts that Georgia Power makes with data centers. She mentioned, “The Public Service Commission allows for very strict redactions and trade secrets. Therefore, the contracts are also redacted and classified, leaving no one aware of the actual charges to the data centers.”
What exactly Durand intended to do with the allegedly stolen materials is still unclear. Meanwhile, Fox 5 has reported that Georgia Power is cooperating with the investigation.
The PSC meeting earlier this week was to evaluate Georgia Power’s request for nearly 10,000 megawatts to be added to the state’s grid. About 60% of this energy is expected to come from gas plants or new constructions, with the remaining 40% sourced from renewable energy.
Durand, who recently founded the group Georgians for Affordable Energy, had pointed out at a hearing that Georgia Power was favoring the interests of its five affiliated gas companies by opting for natural gas power plants instead of investing in solar and battery technologies. She emphasized the need for accountability regarding what she termed “immoral” practices.
In his response to her arrest, Georgia Republican Party Chairman Josh McCoon remarked that “Patti Durand built her brand by criticizing the Public Service Commission, and now she faces charges for stealing from it.”
He further stated that Durand had been portrayed as a “watchdog” while allegedly filming confidential documents from Georgia Power. According to him, while Republican leaders strive to provide reliable and affordable energy, Democrats are undermining these efforts by allegedly engaging in deceptive practices.
Durand’s actions and their implications raise several questions about ethics, accountability, and the balance of interests within Georgia’s energy sector.
