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Bills & Economics

Check out these reports, studies and guides on topics related to bills & economics!

Energy Efficiency ​| Outages | Renewables | Utility Regulation | Health | Housing | City Resilience & Climate

Powerless in the United States

​By Center for Biological Diversity, Energy & Policy Institute, BailoutWatch

January 2023

American households face electricity and heating bills that have spiked beyond their ability to pay, driven by volatile global fossil gas prices, Russia’s war on Ukraine, inflation and ever-rising energy needs fueled by climate catastrophe. Meanwhile, private utilities cushion themselves from this financial blow by raising household energy bills.

As this report shows, profit-driven utilities continue to cut off families’ basic human right to electricity and heat millions of times a year while returning billions of dollars to their shareholders and executives. From 2020 to 2022, utilities in just 30 states and Washington, D.C. shutoff households over 5.7 million times. Last year more than 20% of families couldn’t afford their energy bill. The rate was 50% higher for households of color.

How does Louisiana stack up? Well we don't know because Louisiana doesn't require utilities to disclose disconnections data, even during the pandemic! 
We need transparency, a ban on shutoffs, and renewable & just energy. 

Learn more in this report: bit.ly/PowerlessInTheUS

Tags:

Utility Regulation
Bills & Economics
Health

Energy Storage for Winter Grid Reliability

 By Applied Economics Clinic (AEC) & Clean Energy Group (CEG)

December 2021​

The report found that customer-sited battery storage is by far the lowest priced new winter peaking resource now available to Massachusetts utilities. 

Winter electric peaking capacity (called “winter reliability” in New England) provides an important value to the electric grid by helping to avoid winter blackouts. As heating and transportation are increasingly electrified to meet climate goals, winter peak energy needs will grow; and as fossil-fueled generators are phased out due to emissions caps, new, clean sources of winter peaking capacity will need to be found.

Although winter peaking capacity has traditionally been provided by gas and oil peaking generators (peaker plants), it can also be provided by cleaner, “behind-the-meter” customer resources such as battery storage.

Currently, this service is undervalued in the Massachusetts programs that provide battery customers with performance payments to supply power back to the grid at times of high demand. These customer performance payments should be adjusted to reflect the true value of winter electric peaking capacity in the region

Download the report here.

Tags:

City Resilience & Climate
Utility Regulation
Bills & Economics

Powerless in the Pandemic: After Bailouts, Electric Utilities' Chose Profits over People

 By Jean Su, Center for Biological Diversity, & Christopher Kuveke, Bailout Watch

September 2021​

​Press Release: The Center for Biological Diversity and BailoutWatch released Powerless in the Pandemic, a report showing that some of the nation’s top utilities received a collective $1.25 billion from last year’s government bailouts while shutting off families’ electric service nearly 1 million times. 

The report shows that utilities wielded political power to secure beneficial tax-code changes in the CARES Act but defied calls to grant their own customers temporary relief. Instead, 16 utilities suspended or canceled electric service to nearly 1 million households between February 2020 and June 2021, leaving people without hot water, refrigeration, air conditioning and medical devices. 

“It’s appalling that utility companies cut power to countless families throughout the pandemic while raking in taxpayer bailout money,” said Jean Su, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s energy justice program. “This greedy, heartless practice hurts low-wealth communities and communities of color most of all. It needs to stop. Complicit state regulators who fail to make shutoff data public should stop cowering and start shedding light on utilities’ bad behavior.”

Other key findings:
  • Nine companies received tax bailouts totaling $1.25 billion. It would have cost just 8.5% of that bailout total to prevent every shutoff reported.
  • For what taxpayers spent bailing them out, 15 companies (all but NextEra) could have forgiven all unpaid accounts — hundreds of times over in some cases.
  • A six-member Hall of Shame — NextEra Energy (parent of Florida Power & Light and others), Duke Energy, Southern Company, Dominion Energy, Exelon, and DTE Energy — perpetrated 94% of all shutoffs documented. NextEra alone accounted for nearly half. Duke Energy and DTE Energy together received $845 million, more than 75% of the tax bailout money the report identified in the utilities sector. They cut off customers’ power more than 203,000 times. Their tax bailouts provided enough unexpected revenue to forgive the underlying unpaid bills more than 150 times. 

Tags:

City Resilience & Climate
Utility Regulation
Health
Bills & Economics

AAE Consumer Protection Report

 By Peter-Raymond Graffeo, Alliance for Affordable Energy (AAE)

January 2021​

The AAE Consumer Protection Report focuses on the best and worst practices of consumer protections provided by utility companies. These protections are essential for low income and minority households that struggle to meet the economic burden of rising utility costs.

The report compares seven State’s consumer protections with what the National Consumer Law Center recommends for such protections, with a special focus on Louisiana. Specifically, the report focuses on seven consumer protections: weather, critical medical conditions, elderly and handicap, veterans, service disconnection restrictions, social service payment customers, and miscellaneous protections. Additionally, for convenience, all State consumer protections have been added to the end of each section in a chart.

​After analyzing each category, AAE believes that significant reform is needed to meet the National Consumer Law Center’s base-line recommendations. Ultimately, when considering the vulnerability of many Louisiana residents, stronger protections are needed to ensure families are protected from the disproportionate economic and health impacts associated with disconnections.

Download the report here! Download the spreadsheet here.   

Tags:

Utility Regulation
Health
Bills & Economics

How Does Your Electric Bill Compare to Others in Louisiana?

By The Louisiana Public Service Commission

Updated February 2021​

As the temperature drops and we cozy in with our heaters going, those electric bills are going back up, but how does your bill in Baton Rouge compare with those in Shreveport? Where does New Orleans rank? Well, look no further than this handy-dandy spreadsheet! The Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) compiles monthly bills from just about every electric utility across the state based on kWh usage. This spreadsheet is updated monthly, using the tabs at the bottom, making it easy to track changes. Whether that’s a new power plant going online, or hurricane charges rolling off, you can see how it all adds up.
2019 Monthly Bill Comparisons
2020 Monthly Bill Comparisons
2021 Monthly Bill Comparisons
We’ve posted the spreadsheets from 2019, 2020, 2021 and we will continue to update those as the year goes on. AND, once we get a little free time on our hands, we plan to dive into some of those bill components! Why does Entergy have so many ‘riders’? What is a ROE, and why is Cleco’s so high? Stay tuned friends, in the meantime you can read up on Why Utility Rate Design is So Hot Right Now. ​

Tags:

Bills & Economics

2020 Energy Efficiency Jobs in America 

By E4The Future 

November 2020​

From 2015 to 2019, the energy efficiency sector became one of the biggest, fastest-growing, and most beneficial sectors for both our economy and our environment. The EE workforce was projected to grow 3% in 2020. Instead, it shrank 13.5%. The Energy Efficiency sector continues to be impacted by COVID-19 and the related economic slowdown, with over 320,000 skilled and valued workers still jobless in this historically fast-growing industry. Check out the full report for details in all 50 states and DC.

Energy Efficiency Jobs in America provides an in-depth look at the industry that still employs over two million Americans and has vast potential for growth. Energy efficiency addresses the public health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, while tackling climate change and saving money. Efficiency & weatherization can reduce energy costs by 25%. Furthermore, Efficiency is the most cost-effective solution to reduce emissions in the power sector and can account for nearly half of emissions reductions needed. 

View 
a brief summary or take a deeper dive

The report provides new data for all states on:
  • COVID-19 impact on EE employment
  • Potential for industry recovery and growth
  • Demographic and wage data
  • Energy sector size comparison

How does EE compare in Louisiana? Energy efficiency is the third largest energy sector in Louisiana. However, it was heavily impacted by COVID-19. Louisiana’s energy efficiency industry lost as many as 5,335 jobs since its onset, a 22.9% decrease compared to total jobs in December 2019—wiping out the last 3 years of gains. The energy efficiency workforce has the skills and expertise to meet this moment. Historically the Louisiana EE workforce grew steadily, gaining 18.3% since 2016. As the U.S. advances our economic recovery, policy solutions must create conditions to return to work laid- off/furloughed EE workers and to create a pathway for new workers to join this vital sector.

Tags:

Energy Efficiency
Bills & Economics
City Resilience & Climate

2020/2021 Planning Resource Auction (PRA) Results

By MISO 

April 2020​

MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator) provides open-access transmission service and monitors the high-voltage transmission system throughout the Midwest United States and Canada.

This presentation discusses how the MISO region has adequate reserves to meet its 136 GW Planning Reserve Requirement. MISO's RA construct combines regional and local criteria to achieve a least-cost solution for the region. Check out the presentation to learn more about auction clearing prices, PRA results by zone, changes since the 2019 Auction, and the next steps!

​Download the presentation here!

Tags:

Utility Regulation
Bills & Economics

New Orleans Utility History

By Michael Cobar, The Alliance for Affordable Energy

August 2019​

This presentation outlines the history of utilities in New Orleans and Louisiana, from the incorporation of Southwestern Brush Electric Light & Power Company  (the first company to generate and distribute electricity in New Orleans) in 1881 to NOPSI's beginning in 1926. The presentation concludes by taking a look at NOPSI rates of return, average bill prices, and electricity rates over time.  

The presentation also briefly examines the history of New Orleans utility regulatory control and summarizes the office of the inspector general 2015 report investigating utility regulatory control in New Orleans. 

View the presentation here!

Tags:

Utility Regulation
Bills & Economics

Most & Least Energy-Expensive States

By Adam McCann, WalletHub

June 2019

WalletHub.com, an online personal finance resource, has released a study ranking the least & most energy-expensive states. These rankings are based on the average energy consumption of each state and the average cost of four common energy types: electricity, natural gas, motor fuel and home heating oil (a refined petroleum based product).
​
​How did Louisiana rank? Click below to find out!
2015’s Most & Least Energy-Expensive State

Tags:

Bills & Economics

AAE 2018-2019 Annual Report

By Alliance for Affordable Energy (AAE)

2018-2019

In this issue - a year's overview, last year's numbers & statistics, and a shoutout to our allies. 

A Look at What We've Been Up To:
  • Secured increased funding for the state's Weatherization Assistance Program
  • Engaged in a total of 26 formal proceedings at the Louisiana Public Service Commission and the New Orleans City Council 
  • Successfully advocated for the New Orleans City Council to open a Renewable Portfolio Standard rulemaking docket
  • Protected LA's solar customers from a radical change in net energy metering policy that would devalue their clean energy

Read more about What We've Been Up To here!

Tags:

Utility Regulation
Bills & Economics
Renewable Energy Resources

Lights Out in the Cold | Reforming Utility Shutoff Policies as a Human Rights Matter

By the NAACP Environmental & Climate Justice Program

March 2017

Access to utility services should be a universal human right. No person should live in fear that utility shutoff may leave them in a dangerous or potentially disastrous situation. This report examines the shortcomings of existing state policies, highlights the disproportionate discriminatory impact utility shutoff policies have on socially vulnerable utility customers, and calls & outlines steps for concrete action toward establishing policies that protect the well-being of all utility customers and the eventual ELIMINATION OF UTILITY DISCONNECTIONS.

These policies and protections include:
  • Procedural protections (second notices, notices in various languages, eliminating disconnection & reconnection fees, restrict disconnection times so the utility has employees available to reconnect utility services, etc.)
  • Payment assistance (budget plans that distribute costs throughout the year, partial payments, minimums, etc.) ​
  • Seasonal protections 
  • Protections for the social vulnerable

There are multiple stakeholders who may have competing interests regarding disconnection policies that must be considered when endeavoring to reform the utility system to solve the problems faced by those who experience utility disconnections. Check out the NAACP's Report, Lights out in the Cold - Reforming Utility Shutoff Policies as a Human Rights Matter to learn more about the need for uninterrupted service, the complexities of regulating utility disconnection services, and policy & program opportunities for financing to reduce and eliminate disconnections.

Tags:

Utility Regulation
Energy Efficiency
Health
Bills & Economics

Preliminary Health Impact Assessment 

​By Olivia Brown, The Alliance for Affordable Energy (AAE)

August 2017

This document is intended to consolidate ideas and provide a preliminary literature review for the team that will ultimately conduct the full HIA on the potential health risks and benefits of installing solar panels and energy efficiency measures on homes and businesses in New Orleans. Its aim is to guide city leaders into making the best energy choices for their constituents based on the most favorable outcome economically, environmentally, and to the people’s collective health.

Read about the findings of Olivia's Preliminary HIA here!

Tags:

Energy Efficiency
Renewable Energy Resources
Health
Bills & Economics

AAE 2016-2017 Annual Report

​By The Alliance for Affordable Energy

2016-2017

​​In this issue - a note from our Executive Director, Summary of Successes, Policy Update, Partner Spotlight, Funding & Expenses, Leadership & Staff, a thank you to our donors.

Download the report here!

Tags:

City Resilience & Climate
Bills & Economics
Utility Regulation

SWEPCO Quickstart Energy Efficiency Annual Report 2014-2015

By Southwestern Electric Power Company

March 2016

This report is provided to the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) as the review of the first year of Quick Start Energy Efficiency programs for the SWEPCO Louisiana service territory. Pursuant to LPSC Docket No. R-31106, this report is filed at 30 months in the timeline for implementation of Quick Start Energy Efficiency Programs.

This report has two sections:
  • A narrative report containing program descriptions; activity; savings; participation and trainings; Evaluation, Measurement and Verification (EM&V) overview; staffing levels; and information provided to consumers to promote programs
  • A workbook detailing program budget, costs, savings and cost-benefit analysis
    ​
​Link to Downloadable Version: SWEPCO LA Annual Report, 2014-2015

Tags:

Energy Efficiency
Bills & Economics

Decoupling and Resolution No. R-16-03

By Zeke Magard, Alliance for Affordable Energy (AAE)

February 2019

In the on-going Entergy New Orleans (“ENO”) rate case, the City Council has adopted Resolution No. R-16-03, which required ENO to submit a proposal for a decoupling pilot program. ENO submitted a proposal for a Formula Rate Plan (“FRP”) to the Council and asserted that this Plan included the required decoupling mechanism. However, the Plan proposed by ENO falls short of the requirements agreed upon by the Council.

Check out this one-pager summary here to learn about decoupling and how it relates to this important rate case!

Tags:

Utility Regulation
Bills & Economics

Why Utilities are Embracing Community Solar

By Tanuj Deora, Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA)

2015

SEPA is a 501(c)3 research and education organization with over 900 members from across the solar industry with a mission to help utilities integrate solar into their portfolios. 

This report focuses on "Helping Utilities Make Smart Solar Decisions". Find out more about what utility community solar is and the benefits to customers here!

The report looks at:
  • The changing landscape for the modern utility
  • The changing public expectations of utilities
  • Solar market growth 
  • Market segements
  • The impact of rate design​

Tags:

Renewable ENergy Resources
Bills & Economics

Analysis of the Acadian Report on Net Metering

By Gabel Associates, Inc. 

September 2015

Gabel Associates has been retained by The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) to provide an independent analysis of Acadian Consulting Group’s Report, “Estimating the Impact of Net Metering on LPSC Jurisdictional Ratepayers,” dated September 23, 2015.

Read this analysis of Acadian Consulting's "Cost and Benefit of Solar" report. 
​
​
Link to Downloadable Version: Gabel Analysis

Tags:

Renewable Energy Resources
Bills & Economics

Our CLECO, Our Community: Louisiana's Utility in Peril

By The Alliance for Affordable Energy (AAE)

August 2015

CLECO Power, an electric utility serving 284,000 Louisiana residents, could be taken over by a consortium of foreign investment groups. AAE's report​ on the CLECO Takeover provides a detailed analysis of the proposed takeover and why it is a bad deal for Louisiana.

​Read the Alliance’s report here to see what this would mean for CLECO customers.

Tags:

Bills & Economics
Utility Regulation

Money, Politics, and the Business of Monopolies

By The Alliance for Affordable Energy

 May 2015

Baton Rouge, LA – The Alliance for Affordable Energy has released a report that studies the relationship between Louisiana’s monopoly utility companies and the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC), the elected government agency that is charged with regulating these monopolies. The paper found a problematic relationship and “regulatory capture” of the governmental body as a result of campaign finance, among other procedural issues.

Link to downloadable version: Money, Politics, and the Business of Monopolies

The Alliance offers recommendations following the research conducted, including:
  • ​Adoption of prohibitions that limit campaign contributions from regulated utilities to regulated candidates
  • Greater transparency by expanding Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law
  • The adoption of Robert’s Rules of Order by the LPSC in order to ensure proper procedures
  • More regular and enforced audits by the state’s Legislative Auditor

Tags:

Bills & Economics
Utility Regulation

Entergy Quick Start Energy Efficiency Annual Report 2014-2015

Prepared by CLEAResult

November 2014 - October 2015

2014-2015 was the first year of the Quick Start Energy Efficiency Program for Entergy Gulf States LA, LLC (EGSL) and Entergy LA, LLC (ELL). 

Pursuant to LPSC General Order No. R‐31106 (EE General Order), Entergy Louisiana (ELL)  is providing this report for the first program year of Quick Start Energy Efficiency programs implemented in the legacy Entergy Gulf States Louisiana (EGSL) service area between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015 (PY1). The report includes a narrative overview containing program descriptions, activity, kWh savings, participation, and trainings. 

​
​Link to Downloadable Version: Entergy Quick Start Energy Efficiency 2014-2015 Annual Report

Tags:

Energy Efficiency
Bills & Economics

Energy Smart 2014 Annual Report

​By Entergy New Orleans

April 2014 - March 2015

​Energy Smart programs provide Entergy customers in New Orleans with a wide range of energy efficiency options.

Link to downloadable version: Energy Smart 2014 Annual Report

Tags:

Energy Efficiency
Bills & Economics

The Economic Impacts of Risk, New Orleans

 By Swiss Re                                                                                                                                

February 2013

​​​This report explores the economic side of risks associated with natural disasters, focusing in New Orleans.

Read here to find out more!

Tags:

City Resilience & CLimate
Bills & Economics

FERC Assessment of Demand Response & Advanced Metering

Staff Report by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

November 2011

This is the 6th annual report as required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The report assesses electricity demand response resources and advanced metering with an emphasis on results, activities, and regulatory actions taken over the last year.

The report found:
  • The penetration of advanced meters is up from 8.7 percent in 2009 to 13.4 percent;
  • Demand response potential in organized markets operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs) increased by more than 16 percent since 2009;
  • Demand responded to peak load emergency conditions in ERCOT and the RTO and ISO organized markets; and
  • Federal and state regulators and others continue to focus on demand response, taking actions to remove barriers to wholesale demand response and develop policies to address smart grid.

Read here to find out more!

Tags:

Energy Efficiency
Utility Regulation
Bills & Economics

Electric & Gas 2011 Formula Rate Plan Settlement

Created by Legend Consulting Group for Entergy New Orleans (ENO)

September 2011

The offer of Settlement of Entergy New Orleans, Inc. relating to New Orleans Docket UD-08-03.

View presentation here.

Tags:

Utility Regulation
Bills & Economics

Decoupling and Resolution No. R-16-03

By Zeke Magard, Alliance for Affordable Energy (AAE)

February 2019

In the on-going Entergy New Orleans (“ENO”) rate case, the City Council has adopted Resolution No. R-16-03, which required ENO to submit a proposal for a decoupling pilot program. ENO submitted a proposal for a Formula Rate Plan (“FRP”) to the Council and asserted that this Plan included the required decoupling mechanism. However, the Plan proposed by ENO falls short of the requirements agreed upon by the Council.

Check out this one-pager summary here to learn about decoupling and how it relates to this important rate case!

Tags:

Utility Regulation
Bills & Economics

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  • Home
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  • What
    • Consumer Protection and Education >
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