Extreme Temperature Diary- Sunday November 2nd, 2025/Main Topic: This Obscure Georgia Election Is About So Much More Than Your Power Bill – Guy On Climate
Dear Diary. Across the United States there is a ‘minor’ election coming up this Tuesday during a ‘non-election’ year that is not so unimportant. It will be interesting to see if Zohran Mamdani becomes the next mayor of New York City. If so, progressives (including climate advocate) win. Speaking of winning, there is an important election in my own back yard. It seems minor because instead of for House members, the Senate, or the President, it is only for the Public Service Commission. But Behind the PSC race is a battle for political control of the state — and maybe the country as citizens try to wrest control of the nation from authoritarian fascist Republicans.
From the Grist article posted below: “For the Republican incumbent commissioners, reliable energy means fossil fuels. Last year, they greenlit new gas-fired turbines and earlier this year, they voted to approve a Georgia Power plan that would keep coal plants open past their previously approved retirement dates, both to meet rising demand that comes mostly from data centers.”
Here are more details from Grist:
This obscure Georgia election is about so much more than your power bill | Grist
This obscure Georgia election is about so much more than your power billBehind the PSC race is a battle for political control of the state — and maybe the country. Jessica McGowan / Getty Images
Emily Jones Regional Reporter, Georgia
Published OCT 30, 2025
This coverage is made possible through a partnership between Grist and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR station.
Georgians are currently voting in rare off-year elections for two seats on the Public Service Commission, or PSC — the only statewide races on the ballot this year. More Democrats are expected to turn out to vote because Democratic strongholds like Atlanta are electing a mayor and city council members. In June, about twice as many Democrats as Republicans turned out for the party primaries.
Republicans see a risk of losing seats they’ve held for two decades and opening the door to further losses. Both parties are looking ahead to next year, when the governor’s office and a U.S. Senate seat are on the ballot, and see the PSC race as something of a bellwether. That all has Republicans showing some nerves.
Recently, some of Georgia’s top Republicans gathered in Forsyth County, about 40 minutes outside Atlanta, for a show of party unity and patriotism. Local and state officials stood on risers behind the podium while longtime Public Service Commissioner Bubba McDonald led the small crowd in a rendition of “God Bless the USA.”
McDonald and his fellow members of the commission charged with regulating Georgia’s largest electric utility, Georgia Power, are all Republicans. Standing behind a sign reading “Don’t DEM the lights in Georgia,” the evening’s speakers urged the crowd to keep it that way.
“We are all united in one goal, and that is to send the message that Georgia is closed to the Democratic party,” said state party chair Josh McKoon.
 Georgia Governor Brian Kemp speaks at an event rallying Republican support for the Public Service Committee election. Directly behind Kemp are incumbent commissioners Fitz Johnson and Tim Echols. Emily Jones / Grist
Focused as they were on the broader party politics, the Republicans rallying their base in Forsyth County also shone a spotlight on the PSC’s role in determining the cost and sources of energy in Georgia — critical positions that traditionally operate in relative obscurity.
“You hear everybody talk about how important it is that our state continue to be the number one state to do business, raise a family, have a job,” McKoon said. “The backbone of that is reliable energy.”
For the Republican incumbent commissioners, reliable energy means fossil fuels. Last year, they greenlit new gas-fired turbines and earlier this year, they voted to approve a Georgia Power plan that would keep coal plants open past their previously approved retirement dates, both to meet rising demand that comes mostly from data centers.
“If these two Democrats get elected, they are going to be at war with our fossil plants, and we have a lot of them,” Commissioner Tim Echols told the rally crowd. “These fossil plants are absolutely critical to our reliability, and we can’t allow anyone to take the helm of the Public Service Commission and shut these things down.”
“If these two Democrats get elected, they are going to be at war with our fossil plants, and we have a lot of them,” Commissioner Tim Echols told the rally crowd. “These fossil plants are absolutely critical to our reliability, and we can’t allow anyone to take the helm of the Public Service Commission and shut these things down.”
Echols has championed solar, nuclear, and other alternative energy sources since joining the commission in 2010, but sees natural gas in particular as an important part of the state’s overall energy mix.
Fellow Commissioner Fitz Johnson had similarly dire warnings about the potential consequences of Democrats joining the commission.
“We are not gonna let them California our Georgia,” Johnson said after pointing to large rate hikes in states like California and New York.
But Johnson and Echols have voted to raise rates in Georgia, too. Georgia Power bills have gone up six times in the last three years: three times as part of an overall rate hike, twice to pay for new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle, and once to cover high natural gas prices. Earlier this year, the commission voted unanimously to freeze base power rates for the next three years — though bills will still be adjusted next year for fuel prices and hurricane cleanup costs, which could mean a further increase.
The state Democratic Party is focused largely on these rate hikes in its bid to unseat Echols and Johnson.
“These two Republicans that are running right now never once said, ‘No’ — not one time — to a rate hike request,” said state party chair Charlie Bailey. “We view that as frankly not even a partisan thing. That is — those folks ought not to be in office.”
 The Democratic National Committee made the unusual move of sending a top official and fundraising for the Georgia PSC elections, which the party sees as a rare chance at statewide victory. Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images
Both Democratic candidates view expanding renewable energy and exploring alternatives like better management of energy demand, installing rooftop and community solar, and working with neighboring utilities as keys to both meeting rising demand and stemming skyrocketing costs.
Those options, said Democratic candidate Peter Hubbard, are “woefully underrepresented in the current planning process.”
“What fills that gap is gas-fired capacity, extensions of coal plants, and generally things that are less affordable and less reliable,” he said.
Democrat Alicia Johnson favors similar solutions as both affordable and reliable — and as a protection against climate-fueled weather disasters like last year’s Hurricane Helene, which took down major parts of Georgia’s grid and left some areas without power for weeks.
“We need to invest in a smarter, more resilient grid that’s capable of handling the extreme weather that Georgia experiences while also expanding that access to clean energy,” she said. “I believe that we could be promoting the use of micro grids and energy storage in vulnerable and rural communities to protect against outages.”
To spread those messages and try to capitalize on the calendar quirk that could boost their party’s turnout, the Democrats are also investing in these races in a way they haven’t before.
“The state party’s never spent any money on a PSC race. Period,” said Bailey.
This year, they’re running phone banks, sending out thousands of mailers, and knocking on doors. The Democratic National Committee has gotten involved too, fundraising and deploying vice chair Jane Kleeb to campaign in Georgia.
While the political stakes of the PSC races have overshadowed the climate stakes, the outcomes are no less consequential for Georgia’s future, and perhaps the nation’s. For Bailey, the fight over these obscure seats is a sign Georgia is still in battleground territory. The state narrowly voted for Biden in 2020 and for President Trump last year by 50.7 percent.
“A close election is yet another piece of evidence that this is a battleground,” he said. “A battleground by its very definition can be won, and it can be lost.”
And both parties have decided they’re out to win — this year and next.
More resources for understanding Georgia’s PSCHere are more “ET’s” recorded from around the planet the last couple of days, their consequences, and some extreme temperature outlooks, as well as any extreme precipitation reports:
ABSOLUTE INSANITY -Thousands of records allover
Unbelievable 40.8 Jeddah SAUDI ARABIA
0.2C from NOVEMBER ASIAN RECORD
37.6 Haima OMAN
42.2 in Senegal,39.0 Egypt
38.4 Semara (W.Sahara)
32 Canary Islands,32.4 Cyprus
Next days record heat everywhere up to Scandinavia — Extreme Temperatures Around the World (@extremetemps.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T18:46:59.729Z
❗️HISTORIC
Unbelievable Minimum 31.2C Fujirah Port (28.8C AP) and 31.1C Khor Fakkam EMIRATES
HOTTEST NOVEMBER NIGHT IN NORTHERN HEMISPHERE HISTORY
Records also in OMAN
Min. 29.3 Qaboos Port
28.0 Diba
WORLD CLIMATE HISTORY REWRITTEN once again! — Extreme Temperatures Around the World (@extremetemps.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T12:07:11.086Z
HISTORIC EVENT
Thousands of hot nights records smashed with insane margins (up to 5C+) allovoer South Asia
Some Incredible Record High Minimums
INDIA
28.6 Kavali
28.0 Nellore
27.4 Ongole
27.7 Chennai AP,27.0 Chennai
MYANMAR
26.0 Monywa
BANGLADESH
26.4 Katubdia
26.0 Feni
etc — Extreme Temperatures Around the World (@extremetemps.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T06:47:50.794Z
EXTRAORDINARY HEAT IN SE ASIA
Records pulverized everywhere
Main November record hot nights
Min 28.1 Singapore AP
25.8 Sitiawan MALAYSIA
27.6 Phuket AP THAILAND
INDONESIA
26.0 Pontianak
25.8 Medan
For over 900 consecutive days,Indonesia and Thailand have been breaking records. — Extreme Temperatures Around the World (@extremetemps.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T03:27:47.626Z
Record heat never ends in AUSTRALIA
Minimum 30.4C at Camooweal,unprecedented for this time of the year — Extreme Temperatures Around the World (@extremetemps.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T10:26:38.869Z
Remarkable November warmth in the West
Temperatures up to 97F at Glamis,California
77F in Montana at Fort Benson.
Very mild in Canada as well >21C/70s in Saskatchewan. — Extreme Temperatures Around the World (@extremetemps.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T03:28:58.377Z
As climate change super-sizes our storms, should our categories reflect that?
Thoughtful comments and discussion (all too rare today) from @weatherprof.bsky.social, @michaelemann.bsky.social, myself and others.
Check it out and LMK - what do YOU think? — Katharine Hayhoe (@katharinehayhoe.com) 2025-11-02T20:26:35.614Z
‘A devastating global audit’ shows how climate change is undermining the health of millions.
Extreme heat now kills one person every minute, according to a sweeping new report by the British medical journal The Lancet.
grist.org/health/lance...
#Health #PublicHealth #Climate #Medical #Science — Grist (@grist.org) 2025-11-01T13:22:35.524Z
#Climate denial isn’t just rejecting science—it’s defending the myth of endless growth. As The Limits to Growth warned decades ago, we can’t expand forever on a finite planet. What we need now is a new story of progress—one rooted in limits, care, and belonging. 🧪🌍🌐
An excellent read 👇 — Stelios Katsanevakis (@skatsanevakis.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T08:42:06.874Z
4/ Next, is Canary (2023).
A biopic that focus on the scientific career of glaciologist Prof. Lonnie Thompson, of @byrdpolar.bsky.social
This film conveys the extreme efforts & sacrifices made by scientists over decades to bring us knowledge about the #climate crisis
www.canarythemovie.com — Dr. Aaron Thierry (@thierryaaron.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T10:16:20.961Z
7/ Continuing to reckon with #ClimateJustice we have 'Thank You for the Rain' (2017)
A stark film about how #climate breakdown threatens agriculture and food security, told beautifully by documentary filmmaker Julia Dahr in collaboration with Kenyan farmer Kisilu Musya
thankyoufortherain.com — Dr. Aaron Thierry (@thierryaaron.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T10:16:20.964Z
11/ We can now better understand the stakes of the global #climate negotiations
'Guardians of the Earth' (2017) is a fly on the wall documentary at the negotiations over the Paris Agreement
I chose it for how it captures the ceaseless efforts of hero's like Prof. Saleemul Huq & Christiana Figueres — Dr. Aaron Thierry (@thierryaaron.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T10:16:20.968Z
Here are my three truths about climate:
1. We fail if we don’t end free-to-pollute fossil fuel model. Period. Game over.
2. A crash looms, prefigured by collapse in home insurance/mortgage markets.
3. There are true villains in the story, and we have to tell it that way. — Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (@whitehouse.senate.gov) 2025-11-02T12:44:45.104Z
"Please make no mistake. Climate change is the biggest threat to global security that modern humans have ever faced." Sir David Attenborough.
No time to wait. #ActOnClimate
#climate #energy #stopfossilfuels #go100re — Mike Hudema (@mikehudema.bsky.social) 2025-10-31T18:07:25.540Z
The LARGEST DESERT IN THE WORLD isn't what you think: it's the continent of Antarctica.
The Antarctic Desert has an area of 14,200,000 km^2 (5,500,000 sq mi), about 40% larger than all of Europe.
Even the wet coastal areas only receive 20 cm (8 in) of precipitation annually. — c0nc0rdance (@c0nc0rdance.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T15:44:03.944Z
The LARGEST DESERT IN THE WORLD isn't what you think: it's the continent of Antarctica.
The Antarctic Desert has an area of 14,200,000 km^2 (5,500,000 sq mi), about 40% larger than all of Europe.
Even the wet coastal areas only receive 20 cm (8 in) of precipitation annually. — c0nc0rdance (@c0nc0rdance.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T15:44:03.944Z
Side by side, before and after, shows how Melissa’s Cat 5 winds stripped and mowed down trees, turning lush green vegetation to brown. Only the strongest storms can strip trees bare.
#jamaica #melissa — Jeff Berardelli (@weatherprof.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T01:28:39.991Z
Interconnection, not isolation, is Asean’s US$4.8 trillion lever bt.sg/pnerv — Dr Paul Dorfman (@drpauldorfman.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T11:28:50.924Z
Starting this month, parking lots in South Korea with more than 80 spaces will be required to install #solar canopies and carports.
Another great idea that we should be doing here in Toronto to replace the dirty Portlands gas plant.
#onpoli #climate #topoli
electrek.co/2025/11/02/n... — Ontario Clean Air Alliance (@oncleanair.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T15:44:14.448Z
— Dr Paul Dorfman (@drpauldorfman.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T12:12:46.613Z
— Dr Paul Dorfman (@drpauldorfman.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T10:57:05.040Z
'#Scotland to generate three quarters of Britain’s onshore #wind power within five years — sparking fears the country is facing North Sea oil-style exploitation as a green energy supplier for England.'
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2558793... — Dr Paul Dorfman (@drpauldorfman.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T10:32:43.244Z
Load vs logic – why #nuclear and #renewables aren’t a match
montelnews.com/news/1ea628e... — Dr Paul Dorfman (@drpauldorfman.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T11:00:24.587Z
Silicon Valley SMR #nuclear startup Oklo. 'Backers have wealth and political connections that could undermine nuclear safety.'
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature... — Dr Paul Dorfman (@drpauldorfman.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T10:07:18.969Z
Fossil fuel-related air pollution is linked to cognitive impairment and raises risks for both major dementias: Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy Body dementia.
Some pollutants are fine enough to pass directly from nose to brain.
Gift link to summary of research:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/01/h... — Dr. Sandra Steingraber 🏳️🌈 (@ssteingraber1.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T19:52:19.970Z
“States and local communities should not be expected to pick up the slack to try to ensure their citizens’ safety — that is the modus operandi of a mafia protection ring, not the federal government. It should be noted that NOAA did not respond to Alaska Public Media’s requests for comment.” — Dr. Jeff Masters (@drjeffmasters.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T19:12:41.262Z
“States and local communities should not be expected to pick up the slack to try to ensure their citizens’ safety — that is the modus operandi of a mafia protection ring, not the federal government. It should be noted that NOAA did not respond to Alaska Public Media’s requests for comment.” — Dr. Jeff Masters (@drjeffmasters.bsky.social) 2025-11-02T19:12:41.262Z
Congratulations to the 2025 recipient of the Volvo Prize, @naomioreskes.bsky.social! Naomi's work addresses vital issues such as why we need to trust science; a topic that becomes even more important with every new day.
Read more here: www.environment-prize.com/laureates/na... — Katharine Hayhoe (@katharinehayhoe.com) 2025-11-02T20:40:23.846Z
GOING GREEN
Doesn't start with doing green acts, it starts with a shift in consciousness.
Shifting from a self-serving mentality to a...
Self/Humanity/All Other Beings on Earth/And Earth-Serving thought/choice/action mindset.
🦋LJC
Photo by Brice Tribollet
#photography #wildlife #climate — Linda J. Crane (@earthkeeper22.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T10:02:13.427Z
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