Georgia Power critic arrested for allegedly stealing trade secrets will not be prosecuted

ATLANTA (AP) — An advocate and frequent critic of Georgia Power who was arrested for allegedly snagging a notebook with trade secrets will not be prosecuted.

In a decision filed last week in Fulton County Superior Court, District Attorney Fani Willis said there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute Patty Durand for stealing trade secrets, which is a felony. Surveillance footage from Oct. 21, 2025 shows Durand grabbed a notebook labelled “Georgia Power Trade Secrets” lying on a table during a Georgia Public Service Commission meeting break, flipped through it and put it in her purse. She voluntarily returned it to law enforcement that day.

Durand spent almost two days in jail. She has continued to criticize Georgia Power for keeping too much information private. She said two Democratic Public Service Commission victories over Republican incumbents show that voters are tired of “monopoly exploitation and abuse.”

The Georgia Public Service Commission regulates Georgia Power’s rates and must give approval before Georgia Power can build new power plants or transmission lines. The company has said releasing certain information publicly would compromise its business.

Durand had faced between one and five years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. Prosecutors decided not to charge her with a misdemeanor, noting Durand completed forty hours of community service and a theft awareness class.

A message seeking comment was left with Georgia Power.

Durand said she plans share more about her experience in her newsletter.

“Now that I’m unmuzzled, I’m going to tell the story there, and also tell the story about what it was like to be in jail,” she said.

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Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.