Public Utilities--Consumers Lack Standing to Obtain Review of Reasonableness of Approved Rates

The Georgia Supreme Court, in Georgia Power Co. v. Allied Chemical Corp., held that consumers lack standing to obtain judicial review of a utility rate increase approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) when their attack is based on an allegation that the new rates are unreasonably high. Public utilities, of course, still have their traditional equitable challenge of rates that are unreasonably low, but the court said a statutory grant of review is necessary for consumers to challenge rates that are unreasonably high