‘Too hot to ignore’: Savannah leaders, activists push clean energy as summer heat drives up power bills

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - City leaders joined the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Climate Action Campaign to address climate change and its impact on power bills.

Speakers said summer 2026 was the hottest summer ever recorded in the United States and that Georgia has an opportunity to move away from fossil fuels and change how residents get their energy.

District 4 Alderman Nick Palumbo said rising temperatures and rising bills are connected.

“There’s a freight train coming down the tracks, and it’s pulling two cars. The first car is the heat, the second car is the bill, and Savannah families are about to get hit with both,” Palumbo said.

Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, said Georgia’s approach to generating power is adding to years of rising utility bills.

“This has been declared the hottest year ever in recorded history, and so what we’re seeing is that it’s driving people’s energy bills up, and then the choices we’re making in Georgia to actually generate power are actually increasing the cost on people’s utility bills,” Smith said.

Georgia Public Service Commissioner Peter Hubbard said moving from fossil fuels to clean energy could help address rising power bills.

“Truly go after the issue of moving off of fossil fuels towards clean energy. Not only are we going to help lower our power bills, but we’re also going to be dealing with climate change,” Hubbard said.

Palumbo called on his constituents to support clean energy, saying the cost savings will follow.

“All the energy produced out there today by the sun can power our machinery, our homes, our air conditioning, if we just set our mind to it. Those investments make sense every day of the week that ends in Y,” Palumbo said.