Commissioner Tim Echols

Tim Echols grew up in Clayton County. He has a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees from the University of Georgia. He has been married for 41 years to Windy, and they have seven children. He lives in Hoschton, Georgia.

Tim is the founder of TeenPact and the author of historical fiction novels.

Thursday Thought Leaders ... - More about Peachtree Corners

Tim Echols | Georgia.gov

Tim is currently a Public Service Commissioner in Georgia. He was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016 and 2022. He is currently serving his third term.

Tim Echols: The ever important power grid

Georgia Recorder

Why Electricity Rates in Georgia Rose $516 Per Year on Average

Supports keeping Georgia's energy rates low by using diverse fuels, developing carbon-free technologies, and incentivizing off-peak energy use.

Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.

As a Public Service Commissioner, Echols "forced" utilities to develop solar programs, including net metering and utility-scale solar.

As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets 5,000 residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.

Voted to let Georgia Power charge data centers for the cost of new infrastructure. Customer bills will still depend on contracts and PSC approval, and there’s no guarantee of lower rates for regular customers.

As a Public Service Commissioner, approved a Georgia Power rate increase that will raise the average household bill by $5.48.

Approved a 3.5% monthly rate increase for customers in 2025 to help Georgia Power recover $306 million spent on utility projects. Most households saw an average monthly increase of $5.48.

Supports regulating rate increases for Georgia Power, which have led to a $516 annual cost increase for average residential customers over the past two years, according to WABE.

Approved six rate hikes for Georgia Power over the past two years, raising customer costs by $43 per month.

- Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets 5,000 residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.
- Voted to let Georgia Power charge data centers for the cost of new infrastructure. Customer bills will still depend on contracts and PSC approval, and there’s no guarantee of lower rates for regular customers.
- Approved a 3.5% monthly rate increase for customers in 2025 to help Georgia Power recover $306 million spent on utility projects. Most households saw an average monthly increase of $5.48.
- Approved six rate hikes for Georgia Power over the past two years, raising customer costs by $43 per month.

Utility Costs

Biomass will help keep Georgia’s power supply stable and clean

Supports clean energy initiatives, including solar, batteries, and nuclear energy.

Supports “clean energy,” including solar, batteries, and nuclear energy.

Supports the use of solar and nuclear energy in Georgia, but is concerned about nuclear waste disposal and hopes for future reprocessing of spent fuel as a sustainable resource.

Believes solar can provide daytime power, but supports using nuclear power at night to ensure reliability. 

Has expressed concern about nuclear waste disposal and supports finding sustainable solutions such as fuel reprocessing.

Created the Clean Energy Roadshow, an annual event running for 14 years that educates residents, businesses, and local governments about alternative fuels and clean energy options.

Supports the use of biomass energy, which turns wood byproducts into power. Believes it costs "a little more" for customers but can provide benefits such as increased reliability.

Supports Georgia Power’s reinvestment in its power grid and natural gas system.

- Supports “clean energy,” including solar, batteries, and nuclear energy.
- Believes solar can provide daytime power, but supports using nuclear power at night to ensure reliability. 
- Has expressed concern about nuclear waste disposal and supports finding sustainable solutions such as fuel reprocessing.
- Created the Clean Energy Roadshow, an annual event running for 14 years that educates residents, businesses, and local governments about alternative fuels and clean energy options.
- Supports the use of biomass energy, which turns wood byproducts into power. Believes it costs "a little more" for customers but can provide benefits such as increased reliability.
- Supports Georgia Power’s reinvestment in its power grid and natural gas system.

Energy & the Environment

Tim Echols: Public Service Commission preparing for surge in data centers in Georgia

Believes data centers contribute to the economy by investing in property, supporting infrastructure upgrades, and funding community initiatives.

- Believes data centers contribute to the economy by investing in property, supporting infrastructure upgrades, and funding community initiatives.

Economy

As a state representative, led the effort to provide the Salvation Army and two other agencies with $5 million to help low-income seniors in Atlanta with heating assistance.

As commissioner, led the effort to provide $5 million to help low-income seniors in Atlanta with heating assistance.

Launched a pilot program to provide specially equipped iPads for people with hearing impairments and helped expand access to pediatric hearing aids for eligible children.

- As commissioner, led the effort to provide $5 million to help low-income seniors in Atlanta with heating assistance.
- Launched a pilot program to provide specially equipped iPads for people with hearing impairments and helped expand access to pediatric hearing aids for eligible children.

Public Services

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Tim Echols

Supports holding utilities accountable and ensuring ratepayer interests are represented.

Supports holding utility companies accountable and ensuring ratepayer interests are represented.

Approved a $5.48 monthly rate increase for customers in 2025 to help Georgia Power recover $306 million spent on utility projects.

- Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets 5,000 residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.
- Voted to let Georgia Power charge data centers for the cost of new infrastructure. Customer bills will still depend on contracts and PSC approval, and there’s no guarantee of lower rates for regular customers.
- Approved a $5.48 monthly rate increase for customers in 2025 to help Georgia Power recover $306 million spent on utility projects.
- Approved six rate hikes for Georgia Power over the past two years, raising customer costs by $43 per month.

- Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets 5,000 residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.
- Voted to let Georgia Power charge data centers for the cost of new infrastructure. Customer bills will still depend on contracts and PSC approval, and there’s no guarantee of lower rates for regular customers.
- Approved a $5.48 monthly rate increase for customers in 2025 to help Georgia Power recover $306 million spent on utility projects.

- Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets 5,000 residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.
- Voted to let Georgia Power charge data centers for the cost of new infrastructure. Customer bills will still depend on contracts and PSC approval, and there’s no guarantee of lower rates for regular customers.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, approved a Georgia Power rate increase that will raise the average household bill by $5.48.

- Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets 5,000 residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.
- Voted to let Georgia Power charge data centers for the cost of new infrastructure. Customer bills will still depend on contracts and PSC approval, and there’s no guarantee of lower rates for regular customers.

As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.

- Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.
- Voted to let Georgia Power charge data centers for the cost of new infrastructure. Customer bills will still depend on contracts and PSC approval, and there’s no guarantee of lower rates for regular customers.

Voted to allow Georgia Power to charge data centers (large facilities that use a lot of electricity) for needed infrastructure, though customer costs still depend on contracts and PSC review, and does not guarantee reduced rates for customers.

- Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.
- Voted to allow Georgia Power to charge data centers (large facilities that use a lot of electricity) for needed infrastructure, though customer costs still depend on contracts and PSC review, and does not guarantee reduced rates for customers.

Voted to allow Georgia Power to charge data centers (large facilities that use a lot of electricity) for needed infrastructure, though customer costs still depend on contracts and PSC review.

- Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.
- Voted to allow Georgia Power to charge data centers (large facilities that use a lot of electricity) for needed infrastructure, though customer costs still depend on contracts and PSC review.

Voted to require data centers (large facilities that use a lot of electricity) to cover the full cost of the power and infrastructure they need to protect residential and business customers from higher bills.

- Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.
- Voted to require data centers (large facilities that use a lot of electricity) to cover the full cost of the power and infrastructure they need to protect residential and business customers from higher bills.

- Supports keeping Georgia’s energy rates low by using a mix of energy sources, developing carbon-free technologies, and encouraging off-peak energy use.
- As a Public Service Commissioner, introduced net metering, which lets residents with solar panels get credit for the excess electricity they generate.

- Supports “clean energy,” including solar, batteries, and nuclear energy.
- Believes solar can provide daytime power, but supports using nuclear power at night to ensure reliability. 
- Has expressed concern about nuclear waste disposal and supports finding sustainable solutions such as fuel reprocessing.
- Created the Clean Energy Roadshow, an annual event running for 14 years that educates residents, businesses, and local governments about alternative fuels and clean energy options.
- Supports the use of biomass energy, which turns wood byproducts into power. Believes it costs "a little more" for customers but can provide benefits such as increased reliability.

As commissioner, led the effort to provide the Salvation Army and two other agencies with $5 million to help low-income seniors in Atlanta with heating assistance.

- Supports holding utility companies accountable and ensuring ratepayer interests are represented.
- Supports keeping Georgia's energy rates low by using diverse fuels, developing carbon-free technologies, and incentivizing off-peak energy use.
- As commissioner, led the effort to provide the Salvation Army and two other agencies with $5 million to help low-income seniors in Atlanta with heating assistance.

- Supports clean energy initiatives, including solar, batteries, and nuclear energy.

As of September 4, 2025, Tim Echols’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Supports holding utilities accountable and ensuring ratepayer interests are represented.
- Supports keeping Georgia's energy rates low by using diverse fuels, developing carbon-free technologies, and incentivizing off-peak energy use.

- As commissioner, led the effort to provide the Salvation Army and two other agencies with $5 million to help low-income seniors in Atlanta with heating assistance.

Tim is currently a Public Service Commissioner for Georgia's Public Service Commission, District 2. He was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016 and 2022. He is currently serving his third term.

Tim Echols grew up in Clayton County. In 1978, Tim attended UGA and met Windy Davis, who he married shortly after graduating. Windy is currently working on her graduate degree in Christian counseling. Tim has a BA and two Masters degrees from the University of Georgia. He has been married for 41 years to Windy, they have 7 children and he has three degrees from the University of Georgia. He also lives in Hoschton.

Tim is currently a Georgia Public Service Commissioner. He was first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016. He took office in January 2011 and is currently serving his third term.

Supports holding utilities accountable and ensuring ratepayers' interests are represented.

Supports keeping Georgia's energy rates low to attract businesses, help families, and improve living standards, and plans to achieve this by using diverse fuels, developing carbon-free technologies, and creating incentives for off-peak energy use.

Believes in holding utilities accountable and ensuring ratepayers' interests are represented.

- A Public Service Commissioner is an elected official who serves on Georgia’s five-member Public Service Commission, which oversees statewide utilities like electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, and trucking.
- The commission was originally created in 1879 to manage the building and upkeep of railroads.
- Today, its role is to make sure Georgians have safe, dependable, and affordable utility services, including electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications.
- The commission has five members, each chosen in statewide elections to serve staggered six-year terms.