Georgia Power Critic Avoids Prosecution for Alleged Trade Secrets Theft

Patty Durand will not face charges after briefly taking a notebook labeled "Georgia Power Trade Secrets" during a public meeting.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 1:07pm

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An advocate and frequent critic of Georgia Power, Patty Durand, will not be prosecuted for allegedly stealing trade secrets from the utility company. Surveillance footage showed Durand grabbing a notebook labeled "Georgia Power Trade Secrets" during a break at a Georgia Public Service Commission meeting, but prosecutors decided there was not enough evidence to charge her with a felony.

Why it matters

The case highlights the ongoing tension between Georgia Power, which argues that releasing certain information publicly would compromise its business, and its critics like Durand who believe the utility company keeps too much information private from the public. Durand's actions sparked a debate about corporate transparency and the public's right to access information.

The details

On October 21, 2025, surveillance footage showed Patty Durand, a frequent critic of Georgia Power, grabbing a notebook labeled "Georgia Power Trade Secrets" during a break at a Georgia Public Service Commission meeting. Durand flipped through the notebook and put it in her purse, later voluntarily returning it to law enforcement. She spent nearly two days in jail before prosecutors decided not to charge her with a felony for stealing trade secrets, citing a lack of evidence.

  • On October 21, 2025, Durand allegedly took the notebook labeled "Georgia Power Trade Secrets".
  • Durand spent almost two days in jail following the incident.

The players

Patty Durand

An advocate and frequent critic of Georgia Power who was arrested for allegedly taking a notebook labeled "Georgia Power Trade Secrets" during a public meeting.

Georgia Power

The utility company that argued releasing certain information publicly would compromise its business interests.

Georgia Public Service Commission

The regulatory body that oversees Georgia Power's rates and must approve new power plants or transmission lines.

Fani Willis

The Fulton County District Attorney who decided not to prosecute Durand, citing a lack of evidence.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Patty Durand (Associated Press)

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate over corporate transparency and the public's right to access information, especially when it comes to regulated utilities like Georgia Power. The decision not to prosecute Durand suggests that prosecutors may have concerns about the utility's efforts to keep information private, even if her actions were technically illegal.