On Nov. 4, Georgia voters ousted two Republican incumbents on the state’s Public Service Commission, which oversees energy utilities.

The special election resulted in victories for Peter Hubbard, a clean energy advocate, and Alicia Johnson, who oversaw health equity and sustainable development initiatives for a consulting firm.

Both had run on a platform of lowering energy bills, following the commission’s votes to approve six energy rate hikes over the last two years. This led to an estimated increase of $500 per year in utility bills for the average household, according to the Georgia Recorder.

Democrats’ victory came amid projections of swiftly rising electricity demand in Georgia, driven in part by an influx of power-hungry data centers planned for the state.

Environmental and affordable energy advocacy groups praised the election results. Georgia Conservation Voters spent at least $2.2 million on the races and posted a website linking the two Republican incumbents to rising energy costs.