Entergy Louisiana customers to face rate hike despite promised fee reductions

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE)—In just over two weeks, Entergy Louisiana customers will see an increase in their electricity bills.

The Public Service Commission announced that rates will rise by approximately two percent, which translates to about four dollars more monthly for residents across 58 parishes.

Many locals, like Jefferson Parish resident Dwight Myzette, are concerned about the timing of the increase.

“Things are expensive as it is. People are having a hard time making it these days. So, any increase of any amount, I don’t think it is fair,” Myzette commented.

“Even if it’s just a few dollars, it’s too much; it’s already too much,” Danielle Gonzales said.

The rate hike follows two settlements approved by the Public Service Commission. These agreements permit the increase and introduce a range of customer benefits.

Entergy announced that the settlement includes reducing late fees, eliminating connection and reconnection fees, and expanding eligibility for low-income senior bill discounts.

Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis acknowledged the rate increase’s unpopularity, stating, “I’ll be honest, a rate increase is not a fan favorite, and I’m not happy to have voted for this. I voted for this simply because of all of the other customer benefits that really get Entergy on a path to be responsive to all of our customer needs.”

In an official statement, Entergy highlighted that the approved rate framework also capsizes profit margins and commits the company to strict reliability targets.

“We got 260 million dollars worth of credits. We ended a lot of litigation we were suing Entergy about for what we thought were violations in taxes and running uneconomical plants that were costing more money than they were producing,” Lewis explained.

To ensure accountability, the Public Service Commission has approved hiring an independent monitor to oversee Entergy’s $1.9 billion resilience plan, which was passed earlier this year.

For customers struggling to manage their bills, Entergy is directing them to their online “bill tool kit” for assistance.

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