Alexandria, LA (12/10/2023) – Louisiana is expected to join 30 other states when as State regulators will vote next week on new rules that would require utility companies to implement various power-saving measures and technologies. The Louisiana Public Service Commission is expected to adopt the long-awaited energy efficiency resource standards (EERS) when it convenes Wednesday.
An energy efficiency resource standard (EERS) establishes specific, long-term targets for energy savings that utilities or non-utility program administrators must meet through customer energy efficiency programs. An EERS requires that they achieve a certain amount of energy savings from energy efficiency measures.
While this may seem like great news to most people in Louisiana, especially here in Alexandria while we are in the middle of a utility crisis, this would only be enforceable on utility companies that fall under the jurisdiction of the LPSC.
Cities that have Entergy, CLECO, and SWEPCO like Baton Rouge, Pineville, and Shreveport as their Electricity provider would start to see the cost-saving measures implemented and passed on to their customers within the next year. It has taken almost 13 years for the LPSC to finally come to this moment because of pushback and lobbying from utility companies because by adopting these standards, they would see a decrease in their profit margins.
What is most interesting and could be appalling at the same time is that a city-owned Utility system like the one we have here in Alexandria does not fall under the regulation of the Louisiana Public Service Commission and thus will not be “ mandated” to find ways to lower utility cost for their customers. This is where the good news for most, turns into “hope” for others.
We “hope” that the City of Alexandria (Alexandria City Council) will adopt the new measures as well and find a way to help citizens in crisis save on their bills!
Duties of the Alexandria City Council Sec. 2-12. - Action requiring an ordinance. In addition to other acts required by law or by specific provision of this charter to be done by ordinance, those acts of the city council shall be by ordinance which: (1) Adopt or amend an administrative code. (2) Provide a fine or other penalty or establish a rule or regulation for violation of which a fine or other penalty is imposed. (3) Levy taxes or assessments. (4) Appropriate funds and/or adopt the budget for the city. (5) Grant, renew or extend a franchise. (6) Provide for raising revenue. (7) Regulate the rate or other charges for service by the city, including any utility. (8) Authorize the borrowing of money. (9) Incur debt in any manner. (10) Abandon any property owned by the city. (11) Convey or lease or authorize the conveyance or lease of any lands or property of the city. (12) Acquire real property on behalf of the city. (13) Adopt or modify the official map, platting or subdivision controls or regulations or the zoning plan. (14) Adopt, without substantive amendment, ordinances proposed under the initiative power. (15) Amend or repeal any ordinance previously adopted. (16) Authorize any contract on behalf of the city. (17) Propose amendments to this charter. Acts other than those referred to above may be done either by ordinance or by resolution.
With them not being required to implement the EERS will Alexandria do right by their citizens? Or will they continue to operate a broken system that has always been an issue in our community but has become one of if not the biggest problems affecting our community?
Let’s hope that they will. But judging how they have handled the debacle that is “Project RESTOR” one has to imagine that this current administration and council will not be interested in implementing anything that “takes” from the profit machine that is the Alexandria Utility System (AUS).
