A Georgia Power critic will not face prosecution after being arrested for allegedly stealing a notebook containing trade secrets, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis announced last week. Patty Durand took the notebook during a Georgia Public Service Commission meeting break on Oct. 21, 2025, and voluntarily returned it the same day. She spent almost two days in jail.
The decision means Durand escapes potential prison time of between one and five years and fines up to $50,000. Her continued voice as a critic of Georgia’s largest utility also matters in an ongoing regulatory debate about corporate transparency.
The Incident and Its Resolution
Surveillance footage from the Oct. 21 meeting shows Durand grabbing a notebook labeled “Georgia Power Trade Secrets” lying on a table, flipping through it and placing it in her purse. She returned the notebook to law enforcement the same day.
In a decision filed in Fulton County Superior Court, District Attorney Fani Willis determined there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. Prosecutors noted that Durand had completed 40 hours of community service and a theft awareness class, citing these factors in their decision not to pursue the felony charge.
A Critic’s Years of Advocacy Against Georgia Power
Durand is an advocate and frequent critic of Georgia Power. She attributes recent Democratic victories in elections for the Georgia Public Service Commission to voter dissatisfaction with the utility’s practices, characterizing the company’s model as reflecting “monopoly exploitation and abuse.”
The Georgia Public Service Commission regulates Georgia Power’s rates and must give approval before the company can build new power plants or transmission lines. Durand’s criticism has centered on what she views as the company’s excessive secrecy around its operations.
Moving Forward
Georgia Power said it was cooperating with law enforcement. The company has previously stated that releasing certain information publicly would compromise its business interests.
Durand said she plans to share more about her experience in her newsletter, now that the charges have been declined. She described herself as “unmuzzled” following the prosecutor’s decision, suggesting the charges had constrained her public commentary.
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