Georgia Power is acquiring 30 properties via sale or eminent domain to expand transmission infrastructure; the substation sits five miles from a major data center.

Georgia Power, the state's largest utility company, is conducting a massive grid upgrade that requires removing 30 residential properties along a 35-mile transmission corridor. The project connects Ashley Park Substation to Plant Wansley, a facility currently undergoing its own upgrade, and will traverse Fayette, Heard, Fulton, and Coweta Counties.

Among those affected is Ansley Brown, whose family's childhood home sits in the path of the expansion. In an Instagram post, Brown stated: "Georgia Power is forcibly taking people's homes, okay? They have no choice in this matter. They're going to bulldoze this entire property to the ground. We don't have a choice in this. They're going to be expanding these power lines. Why? For the data centers. All of this is for the data centers."

Brown's family was able to connect with Representative Brian Jack (R-GA), who sent staff to assess the situation. The family subsequently settled with Georgia Power for an undisclosed amount, though the company denies the acquisition is data-center-related.

This case exemplifies broader concerns about eminent domain being invoked for AI infrastructure expansion. While Georgia Power is not directly connecting the transmission line to a data center, massive AI data center power demands are driving nationwide opposition to similar projects. The situation is particularly pointed given an AI data center accused of consuming 29 million gallons of water sits less than five miles southwest of the substation.

The broader context reflects the current administration's push for AI data center infrastructure to compete in the perceived "AI race" against China. However, the U.S. power grid significantly lags its Asian counterpart, forcing utilities and electricity providers to spend billions on upgrades. These costs are passed directly to consumers. President Trump's "ratepayer protection pledge" aims to control spiraling costs, though California's legislative efforts to codify such protections face resistance from tech companies lobbying against the measure. Currently, Oregon is the only state with regulation requiring large consumers—industries using 20 megawatts or more—to pay their fair share, with such entities facing a 30 percent increase in power bills while residential and commercial users receive a 1.3 percent reduction.