Former Democrat Public Service Commission (PSC) candidate Patty Durand was arrested Tuesday and charged with felony theft of trade secrets after allegedly taking confidential documents from Georgia Power during a public hearing in Atlanta. The hearing focused on Georgia Power’s proposal to expand the state’s power grid, largely to meet demands from energy-intensive data centers.
Video footage appears to show Durand, founder of the watchdog group Georgians for Affordable Energy, walking through the hearing room, picking up what was marked as trade-secret material, and placing it in her bag before leaving. She had previously criticized the lack of transparency in Georgia Power’s agreements with data centers, accusing the utility of hiding contract details from the public under the guise of trade secrets.
Georgia Power said it is cooperating with authorities. The materials Durand allegedly took contained proprietary information and were clearly labeled as confidential. She now faces felony charges, which carry serious legal consequences including potential prison time and fines.
This week’s PSC proceedings were held to consider Georgia Power’s request to add nearly 10,000 megawatts to the state’s power capacity—roughly equivalent to two new nuclear units. About 60% of the energy would come from gas-fired plants, while 40% would come from renewable sources. Durand testified at the hearing, accusing Georgia Power of prioritizing profits for its affiliated gas companies over investing in solar energy and battery storage.
Georgia Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon issued a strong statement following the arrest, saying, “Patty Durand built her brand attacking the Public Service Commission and now she’s been arrested for stealing from it.” He added that while Republican leaders are working to keep energy reliable and affordable, Democrats like Durand are “sneaking around government offices and walking off with stolen documents.”
Durand has campaigned on utility reform and appears alongside Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) on her website. Ossoff has faced criticism from conservatives for hiring pro-illegal immigration staff and supporting taxpayer-funded health care for illegal aliens. Durand’s arrest now raises broader questions about the conduct of activist watchdogs and the politicization of energy regulation in Georgia.
