SR482: SR482 Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC); create a study committee; urge

This resolution does not change Georgia law directly. Instead, it sets up a 14-member Senate Nuclear Power Study Committee made up of state senators, a House member, and representatives from Georgia Power, electrical membership corporations, the Public Service Commission (PSC), and the Municipal Electrical Authority of Georgia. The committee is tasked with studying the state's energy needs and the potential for advanced nuclear reactors, then recommending legislation or other action. The resolution spells out how meetings are called, how members are paid or reimbursed, and how a final report must be approved and filed with the Secretary of the Senate. The committee is set to disband automatically on December 1, 2026, unless it finishes its work and report before then.

• Creates the Senate Nuclear Power Study Committee to study Georgia's energy needs and advanced nuclear reactor technology.
• Sets the committee's membership at 14 people, including senators, a House member, Georgia Power representatives, electric co-op representatives, PSC representatives, and a municipal power authority representatives.
• Directs the committee to recommend legislation or other action based on its findings.
• Establishes pay and expense reimbursement rules for legislative members, state officials, and other committee members.
• Requires any approved report to be filed with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee disbands.
• Sets December 1, 2026 as the date the committee automatically ends.

The resolution mainly affects state senators and one House member appointed to the committee, plus representatives from Georgia Power, electrical membership corporations, the Public Service Commission, and the Municipal Electrical Authority of Georgia who would serve as members.

The study committee could shape future legislation on nuclear power expansion, regulatory changes, and incentives in Georgia, which may affect how electricity is generated and priced for households, industries, and data centers that rely on the state's power grid.

• Paragraph (1) formally creates the Senate Nuclear Power Study Committee.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership at 14, naming five senators, one House member, and representatives from Georgia Power, electric co-ops, the PSC, and the Municipal Electrical Authority of Georgia.
• Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying nuclear power issues and recommending legislation or other action.
• Paragraph (5) details allowances: legislative members get standard legislative per diem, state officials get expense reimbursement only, and other members get a daily allowance capped at five days unless extended.
• Paragraph (6) requires any adopted findings or recommendations to be filed as a signed report with the Secretary of the Senate before abolishment.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
2. 2026-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)
3. 2026-02-19Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
4. 2026-02-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
5. 2025-03-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
6. 2025-03-27Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)Primary sponsor
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   48 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 3 absent)

   Consent Calendar For Senate Study Committees: Senate Vote #875

• nuclear power
• energy policy
• Public Service Commission
• Georgia Power
• legislative study committee