Alliance for Affordable Energy

Welcome to the Jungle: An Overview of Louisiana's Jungle Primary

11/15/2022

By Austen Angers

Louisiana has adopted an election mechanism and timetable that is unique and not widely used in the United States. We have what is sometimes called a “jungle primary” process.

This means that for a single office, every candidate is listed on one ballot, regardless of political party affiliation. This serves as a sort of “first round.” This can be confusing for some voters, since Louisiana’s jungle primary actually occurs when the rest of the U.S. holds its general election. In order for this round to resolve the election, a single candidate must receive at least 50% of the vote. If this occurs, then that candidate wins the election outright in the first round.

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The LA Public Service Commission Primary Election results are in!

11/10/2022

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Do You Know Who Holds the Power (and the Air, and the Heat, and the Water…)? By Jacqui Patterson

11/7/2022

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Article by Jacqui Patterson
Originally Published on Urban Resilience Project
November 7, 2022

Tomorrow, November 8th, is Election Day and all eyes are on the high-stakes races that will determine which party controls Congress. Few are paying attention to local races for Public Service Commissions (PSC) or Public Utility Commissions. But these races have an outsized impact on our lives.

Whether you are electing a commissioner to join your Public Utilities/Public Service Commission, or you are electing a Governor who will appoint these commissioners, take heed.

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Energy Smart Should Benefit Those Most in Need

11/2/2022

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On September 15, 2022 the New Orleans City Council issued Resolution No. R-22-413, establishing a new docket (UD-22-04) to consider changes to the Energy Smart energy efficiency and conservation program as well as potential Council policy with respect to demand-side management and customer-owned distributed energy resources and energy storage.

The Council is seeking to make the benefits of Energy Smart more accessible to ratepayers and to accelerate the adoption and deployment of energy-saving technologies, including solar and battery storage systems.

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The Alliance Calls for Extension of Entergy New Orleans Shutoff Moratorium

10/31/2022

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On Friday, October 28, 2022 the Alliance for Affordable Energy and Delta Audubon sent a letter to the New Orleans City Council calling on the Council to extend the service shutoff moratorium for Entergy New Orleans (ENO) residential customers set to expire on Tuesday, November 1.

20,000 accounts are at risk of disconnection. That is, tens of thousands of children and elders who will be left in the cold and the dark on this Council’s watch, unless you act on behalf of your constituents. Telling vulnerable people to rely on ENO’s subpar customer service to apply for a three or four month deferred payment option is not a solution. At best, it is kicking the can down the road, as methane, or natural gas prices remain high and ENO has applied for approximately $170M in costs related to Hurricane Ida that will drive up bills even further.

While the moratorium is set to expire, Entergy New Orleans (ENO) announced on Friday, October 28 that it raised quarterly dividend payments to shareholders by 6%. The City cannot abide any more loss of life due to Entergy’s greed and negligence - justice demands it.

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Losing ground: How one New Orleans community is sinking By Sara Sneath

10/14/2022

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Article by Sara Sneath for Floodlight
Originally Published on The Lens
October 12, 2022

The ground has been sinking all across New Orleans as the Mississippi River soil that created the city dries out and compacts – but few places are as bad as in a section of New Orleans East known as Village de L’Est, a predominantly Black and Vietnamese community.

A study conducted in 2016 by NASA identified groundwater use from a nearby, now-shuttered power plant as the primary cause for the sinking. Entergy New Orleans, which owns the plant, denies responsibility for the subsidence.

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The Alliance's Position: Make an Informed Vote.

10/5/2022

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The Alliance for Affordable Energy is a 501c3, non-profit organization and therefore does not endorse political candidates campaigning for any seat. In 2016, the Alliance provided one of the candidates currently running for office with an award, however this does not imply that we endorsed him then or now, nor any other candidates in the present race for the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

The Alliance's role is to educate, not endorse.

We encourage all voters to attend our upcoming District 4 forum on October 12 in Pineville and District 3 forum on October 20 in New Orleans to learn where each of the candidates stand on the issues that are important to Louisiana voters today.

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We're Hiring! AAE is looking for a Climate Policy Coordinator.

10/3/2022

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The Alliance is hiring a full time Climate Policy Coordinator to support organization-wide efforts to combat climate change through policy development and public engagement.

We seek someone with existing ties to communities and civic organizations outside of New Orleans, with organizing and outreach experience. This person would need to be confident in working closely with Louisiana’s diverse communities to empower individuals to engage with elected officials in a potentially unfamiliar place.

Apply Here

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Express Your Interest in Becoming an AAE Board Member

9/30/2022

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Do you care about rising energy bills throughout the state of Louisiana? Do you want to make sure that people's access to power is protected after hurricanes and during major heat waves? Are you interested in learning more and advocating for sustainable solutions like solar and wind power?

The Alliance for Affordable Energy is here to promote the interest of everyone with an energy bill in Louisiana. We work to advocate for consumers in front of the Louisiana Public Service Commission and New Orleans City Council. Through legal processes, advocacy, and strong alliances, our work helps require utility companies to make good choices that benefit consumers across Louisiana. We are searching for board members throughout the State of Louisiana who believe in these principles.

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The IRA provides much needed support, but its shortcomings will come at the expense of southern communities.

8/23/2022

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By Yvonne Cappel-Vickery, AAE Clean Energy Grid Organizer

The oil and gas leasing required by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as a condition for renewable energy leases will continue to place the Gulf of Mexico as a climate sacrifice zone, leaving Gulf frontline communities vulnerable.

The Deepwater Horizon’s 2010 catastrophic oil spill is a painful reminder of the financial, social, and environmental impacts of offshore fossil fuel production. Provisions of the IRA that encourage more industrial development will place increased pollution burdens on the backs of southern communities already suffering the harms of pollution, even as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we need to stop expanding fossil infrastructure. The Gulf South must be spared from such a high climate burden.

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St. James Parish temporary blocks solar farms, despite pleas from Entergy CEO, advocates by David J. Mitchell

8/18/2022

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Article by David J. Mitchell
Originally published on The Advocate
August 18, 2022

After weeks of debate, St. James Parish officials adopted a temporary halt on new large solar complexes in the parish to take a closer look a rules for the land-intensive operations.

The St. James Parish Council voted 6-1 for the moratorium despite pleas from the backer of a 3,900-acre solar project in Vacherie that has rankled neighbors.

Entergy Louisiana's top executive urged the council not to approve the moratorium because of the poor signal it would send to investors. Environmental and community groups also opposed the measure as backward looking that would end up leaving the parish behind.

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Grand Gulf is driving up your utility bill… AGAIN.

8/9/2022

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Regulators, including the Louisiana Public Service Commission, New Orleans City Council, and the Commission in Arkansas filed a suit with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) last year, which demonstrates a history of failures that together have resulted in ratepayers being saddled with $1 Billion in unreasonable and excessive costs. The Alliance, together with the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice and Sierra Club are also parties to this suit.

Grand Gulf Nuclear Plant has now been offline for more than three weeks.

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Louisiana utility regulators blame Entergy for creating grid dependent on costly gas by Wesley Muller

8/5/2022

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Article by Wesley Muller
Originally Published on the Louisiana Illuminator
August 2, 2022

For years, utility giant resisted diversifying its fuel sources, critics say

With Louisiana residents receiving unprecedentedly high electricity bills, Democrats on the Louisiana Public Service Commission last week blamed Entergy Louisiana for the “mess,” saying the utility giant ignored calls to diversify its sources of fuel for power generation.

While some commissioners blamed Entergy for the problem, one advocate said the commission also bears responsibility. Logan Burke, executive director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, said the commission never really pushed hard for renewables. The energy industry knew years ago that renewables were going to become the cheapest sources of power, yet the commission over the course of four years approved four new natural gas power plants in Louisiana, Burke said.

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Just New Orleans Is Not Enough; Groups Call for Statewide Shut-Off Moratorium

8/4/2022

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On August 4th the New Orleans City Council passed a resolution instituting a shut-off moratorium, directing Entergy New Orleans to suspend service disconnects for nonpayment until November 1, 2022.

While The Alliance is pleased by last weeks vote of the New Orleans City Council making the 90-day moratorium legally binding in New Orleans, supporters say it’s not enough. The Alliance and the Energy Efficiency for All Louisiana Coalition is calling on the Louisiana Public Service Commission to require all electric utilities to enact a statewide shut-off moratorium.

Years of bad faith and deceptive practices from Entergy have led us to this precarious moment where we are experiencing a combination of dangerously high temperatures and unaffordable high energy bills.

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City of New Orleans to Offer Utility Assistance to Eligible Renters in Danger of Service Disconnection

8/3/2022

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Originally Published by The Mayor's Office
July 29, 2022

The Mayor's Office of Housing Policy and Community Development will host a community-based outreach event to provide financial assistance to eligible renters who are at risk of electric or water disconnection.

The event will take place on Wednesday, August 3 and Thursday, August 4 from 9am - 3 pm at the Joe Brown Park Recreational Center located at 5601 Read Blvd. Translators and legal assistance will be available onsite.

Am I eligable?
Residents who have applied for rental assistance through the City of New Orleans but have not received utility assistance can attend the outreach event.

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Angry Entergy customers protest rising bills outside utility’s New Orleans headquarters by Kaitlin Rust

8/2/2022

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Article by Kaitlin Rust
Originally Published on Fox 8
August 1, 2022

Chants of ‘No more shutoffs, no more hikes, we deserve AC and lights’

Angry Entergy customers gathered outside the company’s headquarters in New Orleans to call for change as bills skyrocket and many across the state struggle with impending service shutoffs.

“I hope they see that people are not going to take it anymore, that we’re standing up and demanding that our regulators act on behalf of ratepayers to protect their best interests and to protect the most vulnerable among us,” said Jesse George of the Alliance for Affordable Energy.

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Join us to demand action! #EvacuateEntergy

7/29/2022

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Have your bills been outrageously high recently?

Join The Alliance Monday, August 1 at Entergy Headquarters (639 Loyola Ave) at 6pm to demand action from our elected officials.

Come stand with The Alliance, Sunrise Movement New Orleans, New Orleans Democratic Socialists of America, Young Communist League New Orleans, Energy Future New Orleans (EFNO), & Louisiana for a Green New Deal.

In the past couple of months Entergy has been charging us hundreds of dollars more than usual just to keep the lights on.

This comes less than a year since Entergy's grid failed us after Ida. Leaving our city in the dark for weeks.

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Historic Transmission Projects Approved in the Midwest - What Happened to Planning for Louisiana?

7/27/2022

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By Yvonne Cappel-Vickery, AAE Clean Energy Grid Organizer

On July 25, the Midcontinent System Operator, also known as MISO, the regional transmission organization of which Louisiana is a member, approved the most extensive set of transmission projects to be approved in U.S. history.

The MISO Board of Directors' approval of Tranche 1 will result in more renewable energy projects and over 200,000 jobs. Approval of Tranche 1 is good news for everyone in the MISO footprint as it will encourage the transition to clean energy sources and increase grid reliability.

The projects approved are part of the Long Range Transmission Planning, aka LRTP.

Tranche 1 represents the first integration and includes 18 projects across the MISO Midwest subregion estimated at $10.3 billion

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Louisiana Public Service Commission Holds the Keys to our Future

7/22/2022

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The Louisiana Public Service Commission, or LPSC, has an key role in deciding the costs that your utilities charge, the types of services it provides, and the kind of energy that powers our state.

The Commission is constitutionally empowered and has five elected members. Two of those five seats are up for election this November. Qualifying for those races ends today. This simple informational page highlights some of the things that anyone interested in serving as a Commissioner should be aware of.

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Turn Off the Gaslight: The Natural Truth About Gas

7/22/2022

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Join The Alliance for a virtual teach-in on August 11th, 2022 at 6pm CT, Turn Off the Gaslight: The Natural Truth About Gas.

We’ll talk about what natural gas is (methane!) and where it comes from. Plus, hear from experts about who sets the price of methane, how the price of methane affects your utility bills, what are the alternatives, and what you can do.

The teach-in will end with a Q&A where you can get the answers to all your natural gas questions.

No need to register just join via zoom at bit.ly/naturalgasrundown.

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Entergy offered a $588M settlement to end allegations at Grand Gulf. Should Louisiana agree? By Sam Karlin

7/7/2022

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Article by Sam Karlin
Originally Published on The Advocate
July 7, 2022

Amid wide-ranging allegations that it soaked ratepayers for inflated costs at its troubled Grand Gulf nuclear power plant, which serves customers in three states, Entergy has struck a settlement with Mississippi, agreeing to refund the state $300 million.

But it’s not yet clear if regulators in Louisiana will opt into the deal, and some officials are skeptical.

The Alliance's take: This plant has been a problem from the jump. Louisianans are owed far more than this pittance and we’re glad to see regulators in the state indicate the same sentiment.

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NOLA City Council Approves LEED Ordinance

7/7/2022

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At the New Orleans City Council’s July 7th meeting, Councilmembers adopted an ordinance that will bring City buildings up to LEED Gold Standards.

By bringing City buildings up to LEED Gold standards, as the federal government and school board have done with their buildings in New Orleans, we will reduce energy demand, alleviate stress on our overburdened grid, and lower the City’s carbon footprint.

New Orleans is both a city particularly vulnerable to a changed climate, and one with enormous opportunity for gains in energy efficiency and green building. The historic character of New Orleans does not mean that we must rely on the building standards of the 19th century. Sustainable building is an act of preservation, and it is time for New Orleans’ municipal building stock to meet contemporary standards.

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Breaking News: The Supreme Court dismantles of half a century of health, environmental, and climate justice advocacy.

6/30/2022

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Repost from Green New Deal Network

Today, the Supreme Court’s far-right conservative majority has ruled in favor of corporate interests like the Koch brothers, and will be moving to limit the powers of the Clean Air Act, dismantling half a century of health, environmental and climate justice advocacy.

The ruling on West Virginia vs EPA constitutes yet another blow as part of a coordinated attack on the health of Black, brown and low-income communities by the U.S. judicial branch, greedy corporations and billionaires, religious extremists, and white surpremacists.

But it does not impact Congress’ and Biden’s power to act on urgent priorities for our communities.

Read more to learn about how you can take action!

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Entergy says rates will go up for most Louisiana customers; see how much by Robert Stewart

6/17/2022

1 Comment

Article by Robert Stewart
Originally Published on The Advocate
June 3, 2022

Company blames rising natural gas costs, damage from storms

Blaming rising natural gas costs and lingering expenses from a slew of weather disasters over the last two years, Entergy on Friday said electricity rates for most of its Louisiana customers will rise in June by as much as $25 for an average household.

The rate increases will affect areas covered by Entergy Louisiana, the division of Entergy Corp. that supplies power to roughly 1.1 million customers in 58 parishes, including most of south Louisiana.

The impact on customers of Entergy New Orleans, the utility company’s Orleans Parish subsidiary, remains to be seen, but rates could rise later this year if the New Orleans City Council approves a $150 million plan to finance the company’s storm repairs.

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Entergy New Orleans Reliability Judgment

6/14/2022

1 Comment

On Monday, June 13, 2022, Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Rachael Johnson issued a ruling from the bench granting Entergy New Orleans’ petition for injunctive relief from a $1M fine that the New Orleans City Council imposed in 2019 as a result of routine reliability issues.

The Council opened docket UD-17-04 in 2017 to investigate Entergy’s decision to defer maintenance and upgrades to its distribution system. The Council, as the utility’s regulator, concluded that Entergy had acted imprudently and penalized the company accordingly. Entergy immediately filed suit for injunctive relief, claiming that the Council had not created reliability standards to which it could be held accountable.

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The Watchdog

Welcome to the Jungle: An Overview of Louisiana's Jungle Primary

The LA Public Service Commission Primary Election results are in!

Do You Know Who Holds the Power (and the Air, and the Heat, and the Water…)? By Jacqui Patterson

Energy Smart Should Benefit Those Most in Need

The Alliance Calls for Extension of Entergy New Orleans Shutoff Moratorium

Losing ground: How one New Orleans community is sinking By Sara Sneath

The Alliance's Position: Make an Informed Vote.

We're Hiring! AAE is looking for a Climate Policy Coordinator.

Express Your Interest in Becoming an AAE Board Member

The IRA provides much needed support, but its shortcomings will come at the expense of southern communities.

St. James Parish temporary blocks solar farms, despite pleas from Entergy CEO, advocates by David J. Mitchell

Grand Gulf is driving up your utility bill… AGAIN.

Louisiana utility regulators blame Entergy for creating grid dependent on costly gas by Wesley Muller

Just New Orleans Is Not Enough; Groups Call for Statewide Shut-Off Moratorium

City of New Orleans to Offer Utility Assistance to Eligible Renters in Danger of Service Disconnection

Angry Entergy customers protest rising bills outside utility’s New Orleans headquarters by Kaitlin Rust

Join us to demand action! #EvacuateEntergy

Historic Transmission Projects Approved in the Midwest - What Happened to Planning for Louisiana?

Louisiana Public Service Commission Holds the Keys to our Future

Turn Off the Gaslight: The Natural Truth About Gas

Entergy offered a $588M settlement to end allegations at Grand Gulf. Should Louisiana agree? By Sam Karlin

NOLA City Council Approves LEED Ordinance

Breaking News: The Supreme Court dismantles of half a century of health, environmental, and climate justice advocacy.

Entergy says rates will go up for most Louisiana customers; see how much by Robert Stewart

Entergy New Orleans Reliability Judgment

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