New Orleans City CouncilOverviewThe City Council of New Orleans (CNO) is responsible for the enactment of laws pursuant to the police power, the city budget, land use and zoning, investigations related to public hearings, utility regulation, appointing boards and commissions, and advocating on behalf of citizens. The Council uses several legislative instruments including ordinances, motions, resolutions and dockets to carry out their responsibilities.
The Council has constitutional legislative authority to not only regulate but also enact policy, which is greater authority than most other (state) commissions. This kind of authority puts the city council in a powerful position, poised to shape the energy future of New Orleans for the benefit of its citizens. 
Council ActionsLearn more about actions the New Orleans City Council are taking to address issues on their agenda. Check out our Council Actions page for information about current and past regulatory issues taken up by the Council.
Most Recently: Council President Helena Moreno ordered an investigation of power infrastructure to prevent catastrophic failures seen in Texas |
New Orleans DocketsOPEN DOCKETS
CLOSED DOCKETS
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New Orleans Dockets
The Council often takes action through a formal docketed process. The Council will open a utility docket to enact legislative energy policy on efficiency, rooftop solar, renewable portfolio standards, reliability and rate structure.
While CNO posts filings in agendas, ordinance and most of the intervention filings from individual dockets are not are not readily available to the public on The City Council website.
AAE has dedicated ourselves to public awareness, access and transparency by collecting and organizing all of the documents by docket date and filer so that the public and those interested in energy policy can have access to all of the relevant documents.
Access New Orleans Dockets documents using our side panel or our New Orleans Dockets page.
While CNO posts filings in agendas, ordinance and most of the intervention filings from individual dockets are not are not readily available to the public on The City Council website.
AAE has dedicated ourselves to public awareness, access and transparency by collecting and organizing all of the documents by docket date and filer so that the public and those interested in energy policy can have access to all of the relevant documents.
Access New Orleans Dockets documents using our side panel or our New Orleans Dockets page.
Councilmembers
The City Council of New Orleans is composed of seven elected Councilmembers
(two elected at-large and five elected from districts)
(two elected at-large and five elected from districts)
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Jason Rogers Williams At Large, President (504) 658-1070 jasonwilliams@nola.gov |
Helena Moreno At Large, Vice President (504) 658-1060 morenocouncil@nola.gov |
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Joseph I. Giarrusso III District A (504) 658-1010 joseph.giarrusso@nola.gov |
Jay H. Banks District B (504) 658-1020 jay.banks@nola.gov |
Kristin Gisleson Palmer District C (504) 658-1030 kristen.palmer@nola.gov |
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Jared C. Brossett District D (504) 658-1040 councildistrictd@nola.gov |
Cyndi Nguyen District E (504) 658-1050 Cyndi.nguyen@nola.gov |
Utility Regulation and Energy Policy in New Orleans
The New Orleans City Council is the only city council in the US that has separate regulatory authority over an Investor Owned Utility (IOU), Entergy New Orleans. The Utility Committee or UCTTC (Utility, Cable, Telecommunications and Technology Committee) is composed of 5 of the 7 Council members, headed by a chair. The full council votes following a Utility Committee recommendation.
The Council's job as a regulator is to balance public interests, including residential, government, commercial, and industrial customers, with the interests of the utility, which is given an opportunity to earn a "reasonable profit." The public interest is broad and includes affordability, reliability, resilience, environmental and economic impact.
As the regulator of a monopoly, the Council sets rates and makes decisions about costs the utility is allowed to charge customers through those rates, such as power plants, system upgrades, and energy efficiency programs. The Council also sets Entergy New Orleans' allowed profit margins.
Major changes are taking place in the utility sector and transforming how we generate power and meet our energy needs. As energy efficiency, rooftop solar, and other demand side (or distributed) energy resources come popular with customers, regulation will need to change with it to ensure customers receive service that balances a host of societal benefits with cost, and of course the utility business.
The Council is empowered to enact far reaching legislative policy on matters like efficiency, rooftop solar, reliability and rate structure. It is the Council's responsibility to define a vision for how New Orleans will meet its future energy needs.
The New Orleans City Council is the only city council in the US that has separate regulatory authority over an Investor Owned Utility (IOU), Entergy New Orleans. The Utility Committee or UCTTC (Utility, Cable, Telecommunications and Technology Committee) is composed of 5 of the 7 Council members, headed by a chair. The full council votes following a Utility Committee recommendation.
The Council's job as a regulator is to balance public interests, including residential, government, commercial, and industrial customers, with the interests of the utility, which is given an opportunity to earn a "reasonable profit." The public interest is broad and includes affordability, reliability, resilience, environmental and economic impact.
As the regulator of a monopoly, the Council sets rates and makes decisions about costs the utility is allowed to charge customers through those rates, such as power plants, system upgrades, and energy efficiency programs. The Council also sets Entergy New Orleans' allowed profit margins.
Major changes are taking place in the utility sector and transforming how we generate power and meet our energy needs. As energy efficiency, rooftop solar, and other demand side (or distributed) energy resources come popular with customers, regulation will need to change with it to ensure customers receive service that balances a host of societal benefits with cost, and of course the utility business.
The Council is empowered to enact far reaching legislative policy on matters like efficiency, rooftop solar, reliability and rate structure. It is the Council's responsibility to define a vision for how New Orleans will meet its future energy needs.
The Alliance for Affordable Energy and Citizens for Change worked with the New Orleans City Council and Entergy New Orleans to develop a Ratepayer’s Bill of Rights. Now part of the city code, the law states “If you feel that the Utility has violated your rights or is in violation of its Customer Service Regulations, you have the right to participate in the Customer Complaint and Dispute Resolution Process.” The Alliance helps consumers with bill errors navigate the process. Download this handy Summary of Utility Customer Complaint and Dispute Resolution Process.
Committees
Utility, Cable, Telecommunications, and Technology Committee
Pursuant to Section 3-130 the New Orleans City Council exercises powers of supervision, regulation, and control over electric, gas, and water utilities providing service in the City (2019 03 28 CNO Motion M-19-113).
Committee Members:
Committee Members:
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Helena Moreno (Chair) (504) 658-1060 morenocouncil@nola.gov |
Jason Rogers Williams (504) 658-1070 jasonwilliams@nola.gov |
Jospeh I. Giarrusso III (504) 658-1010 Joseph.giarrusso@nola.gov |
Jay H. Banks (504) 658-1020 jay.banks@nola.gov |
Jared C. Brossett (504) 658-1040 councildistrictd@nola.gov |
Committee Responsibilities:
- Oversee the Council's regulatory authority over Entergy New Orleans, Inc. and Entergy Louisiana, Inc.
- Maintain oversight of utility consultants
- Make recommendations to the full Council concerning electric and gas utility rates and services
- Review and sets policy concerning the granting and oversight of cable and telecommunications franchises in New Orleans
- Oversee the Council's involvement in new Orleans Access Television
- Provide oversight over the technology implementations of the City
committee resources
Smart and Sustainable Cities Committee
The Smart and Sustainable Cities Committee considers, reviews, and makes recommendations to the Council on programming, funding, legislation and other necessary and appropriate actions relating to improving the modernization, growth and sustainability of the City.
Committee Members:
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Jason Rogers Williams (Chair) (504) 658-1070 jasonwilliams@nola.gov |
Helena Moreno (504) 658-1060 morenocouncil@nola.gov |
Jospeh I. Giarrusso III (504) 658-1010 joseph.giarrusso@nola.gov |
Jay H. Banks (504) 658-1020 jay.banks@nola.gov |
Cyndi Nguyen (504) 658-1050 cyndi.nguyen@nola.gov |
Presentations
Meetings & Agendas
- 2018 11 27 CNO 2019 Smart & Sustainable Cities Meeting Dates
- 2018 07 30 CNO Smart & Sustainable Cities Committee 7/31/18 Agenda
- 2018 07 30 CNO Smart & Sustainable Cities Resolution 7/31/18 Meeting
- 2018 07 30 CNO Smart & Sustainable Cities Resolution 7/31/18 Meeting - Dr. Carl Pechman Bio
- 2018 07 30 CNO Smart & Sustainable Cities Resolution 7/31/18 Meeting - David Gilford Bio
Environmental Advisory Committee
The Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) was established to provide advice, feedback, and subject matter expertise to the Council with respect to environment and sustainability, relative to these specific areas: living with water, green infrastructure, transportation, and economic incentives for businesses that carry out these goals.
The EAC consists of eleven (11) members, one appointed by each Councilmember, one ex-officio member from the Office of Neighborhood engagement, one ex-officio member from City Park, one representative of the Department of Sanitation, and one representative of the Office of Reliance and Sustainability, all of which are subject to approval of the full Council. Each EAC member serves a one year term and may be reappointed by City Council motion after the one year term. The Environmental Advisory Committee meetings must be held at least once quarterly.
The EAC consists of eleven (11) members, one appointed by each Councilmember, one ex-officio member from the Office of Neighborhood engagement, one ex-officio member from City Park, one representative of the Department of Sanitation, and one representative of the Office of Reliance and Sustainability, all of which are subject to approval of the full Council. Each EAC member serves a one year term and may be reappointed by City Council motion after the one year term. The Environmental Advisory Committee meetings must be held at least once quarterly.
Committee Members:
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Beverly Wright At-Large |
Logan Burke At-Large |
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Kristi Trail District A |
Wilma Thompson James District B |
Michael Robertshaw District C |
Nick Harris District D |
Arthur Johnson District E |
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Kyle Shelly Office of Neighborhood Engagement |
Margaret Adams
City Park |
Cynthia Sylvain-Lear Department of Sanitation Representative |
Ramsey Green Office of Resilience & Sustainability Representative |
Committee Resources
Advisors to the City Council
The Council contracts various consulting firms as Advisors to provide electric and/or natural gas regulatory consulting services to the City Council for an initial maximum annual amount as negotiated by the Council, for a total period of up to five years renewable on an annual basis. The Advisors are selected in accordance with the competitive selection process required by the Home Rule Charter and established by Council Rule 45.
Check out this Watchdog article: The City Council's utility advisors contracts open for bidding at the end of 2021
Dentons US LLP Law Firm
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Basile J. Uddo (504) 583-8604 buddo@earthlink.net |
J.A. "Jay" Beatmann, Jr. (504) 256-6142 jay.beatmann@dentons.com |
Clinton A. Vince (202) 408-6400 clinton.vince@dentons.com |
Presley Reed (202) 408-6400 presley.reedjr@dentons.com |
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Emma F. Hand (202) 408-6400 emma. hand@dentons.com |
Herminia Gomez (202) 408-6400 herminia.gomez@dentons.com |
Dee McGill (202) 408-6400 dee.mcgill@dentons.com |
Legend Consulting Group
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Joseph W. Rogers (303) 843-0351 jrogers@legendcgl.com |
Victor M. Prep (303) 843-0351 vprep@legendcgl.com |
Byron S. Watson (303) 843-0351 bwatson@legendcgl.com |
Cortney Crouch (303) 843-0351 ccrouch@legendcgl.com |
Bruno and Tervalon
Errol Smith
(504) 284-8296
ersmith@btcpas.com
(504) 284-8296
ersmith@btcpas.com
Advisor Contracts and other resources
- 2018 12 20 CNO M-18-542 Bruno and Tervalon 2019 Contract Renewal A motion to extend the contract through 2019
- 2018 12 20 CNO M-18-541 Legend 2019 Contract Renewal A motion to extend the contract through 2019
- 2018 12 20 CNO M-18-540 Dentons and Wilkerson Contract Renewal A motion to extend the contract through 2019
- 2018 08 23 M-18-352 CNO Motion for Advisor Legend Budget Increase
- 2018 08 23 M-18-351 CNO Motion for Advisor Dentons Budget Increase
- Letter to Advisors from Chair Moreno
- Advisors' Cost Letter to ENO
Council Utilities Regulatory Office (CURO)
CURO provides research and recommendations, oversees the responsibilities and activities of the Advisors and serves as the initial public interface among the (UCTTC), the Council, and the public, including ass participants and stakeholders in the utility regulatory process. See M-17-217 for more information regarding the role of CURO in the Council's regulatory process.
Council Utilities Regulatory Office Staff
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Erin Spears Chief of Staff espears@nola.gov |
Bobbie Mason Deputy Chief of Staff bfmason1@nola.gov |
Tiffany Domino Office Assistant |
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Shannon Oldfield Principal Engineer shannon.oldfiend@nola.gov |
Christopher Roberts Management Development Specialist cwroberts@nola.gov |