In 1879, the Georgia General Assembly established the Railroad Commission of Georgia for the purpose of regulating railroad passenger and freight rates, services and operations. As Georgia's population grew and industry expanded, it became necessary for the Commission to grow as well. The Legislature, therefore, conferred upon the Commission additional regulatory responsibilities. Over the next several years, the Commission saw periods of regulatory expansion and deregulation. In 1922, the Legislature changed the name of the Railroad Commission to the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to reflect the increasing variety of services and utilities included under the Commission's jurisdiction.

 

Today, five elected Commissioners, supported by approximately 85 staff, make decisions that affect the lives of every Georgian each time a landline telephone is picked up, a light is turned on or a gas burner is used.

 

The five Commissioners of the PSC are elected statewide and serve staggered six-year terms. The chairman is elected by the Commission for a two-year term with the opportunity to be re-elected for an additional two-year term.

 

Because the Public Service Commission's decisions affect how much people pay for such necessary services as their electricity, telephone and natural gas, its operational activities are constantly in the public eye. In fact, very few governmental agencies have as much impact on peoples' lives as the PSC.