The Alliance Calls for Extension of Entergy New Orleans Shutoff Moratorium

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.​

View & Download Our Letter to the Council

Dear Council Members,

We are writing to you once again regarding the impending expiration on Tuesday, November 1 of the residential service shutoff moratorium for Entergy New Orleans (ENO) customers that the Council enacted in August.

When we wrote to you earlier this week on Monday, October 24, we suggested that you request from ENO information on current total arrearages and number of customers at risk of disconnection. Despite presenting to the Utility Committee on Wednesday, October 26, ENO did not offer this information until Thursday, October 27 through local media. We know now that 20,000 accounts are at risk of disconnection.

Even assuming each account represents only one person – and that number is almost assuredly higher – that is still tens of thousands of New Orleanians who face disconnection of service just as the weather is beginning to turn colder. 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. As we mentioned in our previous letter, the formal discussions the Council ordered in Resolution R-22-143 have stalled, meaning ENO ratepayers still do not have access to a citywide arrearage management program that not only relieves their debts, but sets them on the path to energy efficiency, affordability, and energy security.

Unless and until the working group formed pursuant to Resolution R-22-143 completes its work and the Council adopts and implements such a program, you should extend the service shutoff moratorium for ENO residential customers indefinitely. Justice demands it – the City cannot abide any more loss of life due to Entergy’s greed and negligence.

Sincerely,
Jesse S. George
New Orleans Policy Director, Alliance for Affordable Energy

Brent Newman
​Senior Policy Director, Audubon Delta ​