On August 12, 2004 the New Orleans City Council passed NOEEP, the New Orleans Energy Efficiency Programs, which will help residents and businesses save money on utility bills. 

Read press release:  New Orleans City Council votes in favor of NOEEP (New Orleans Energy Efficiency Programs)!

As proposed, the program will have an annual budget of $5-7 million supported by a small charge (average $1 per month for residential sector) on ratepayers bills. These programs have been highly successful in other parts of the country, saving 50-60 billion kilowatt-hours annually, which results in consumer energy bill savings of $4 billion annually according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. In addition, the reduction in peak electrical demand prevents reliability problems on the often-congested transmission grid, helping to prevent brown outs and blackouts.

Energy efficiency programs also produce an economic benefit because the cost to reduce a kilowatt-hour of electricity is a fraction of the cost to produce a kilowatt-hour of electricity. According to an LSU study, a statewide program would result in energy efficiency improvements to
approximately 60,000 homes and businesses annually and would have an annual per customer total economic benefit of over $400 and result in almost 2,200 new jobs.

NOEEP has not yet been implemented.  The City Council is in the process of choosing the team to administer the program.  Please check back - we will update this webpage to keep you abreast of the progress to get NOEEP ready for you to use.  We are following the progress closely and advocating for its implementation.

Background:

What is an Energy Efficiency Program?
An Energy Efficiency Program is a mechanism designed to help attack energy waste in our electric system, save taxpayers money, increase the availability and reliability of our electricity supply, improve services for low-income families, reduce environmental pollution, and help to meet our future electricity needs more cheaply, quickly, and cleanly. There are currently 23 states that have Public Benefits Funds similar to NOEEP.

The $6 million fund approved by the New Orleans City Council (12/13/01) will help with the initial startup of the program, which will provide:

• Energy efficiency programs to boost economic development and meet environmental goals
  
• Weatherization for Households and Businesses
• Consumer Education
• Emergency Bill Payment Assistance
  

Why do we need an Energy Efficiency Program?
Louisiana ranks #1 among the states for the highest percentage of people living in poverty, 22% statewide (almost 30% in New Orleans). Over 90% of these families live in unweatherized, energy inefficient homes. Because of this, low-income families often have a much higher energy demand than would be expected. High demand leads to high bills even in normal times and thus the “energy burden,” i.e. energy costs as a percentage of income, of a low income family is twice the level of, for example, a median income Louisiana family. In times of skyrocketing energy rates, such as the winter of 2000’s natural gas price spike, the energy burden can be as high as 60%-70%. As a result, in March 2001, at least 100,000 low-income Louisiana households (30,000 just in New Orleans) teetered on the verge of disconnection for non-payment.

What are the benefits?

• Improved living conditions, especially for low-income families
  

• Energy savings
  
• Creation of hundreds of new jobs
  
• A cleaner environment
  
• A boost in economic development
  

What can you do?
Contact your New Orleans City Council Member and urge him/her to get NOEEP up and running as soon as possible!

New Orleans City Council Members:

At Large, Eddie Sapir 565-6335

Dist.D, Marlin Gusman 565-6310

At Large, Oliver Thomas 565-6325

Dist.A, Jay Batt 565-6345

Dist.E, Cynthia Willard-Lewis 565-6305

Dist.B, Renee Gill Pratt 565-6320

Dist.C, Jacqui Clarkson 565-6315

Our Story
The Alliance is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to creating fair, affordable, and environmentally responsible energy policies. Founded in 1985 in New Orleans, the Alliance conducts community education campaigns on energy issues, helps citizens and businesses become more energy efficient, and promotes sustainable energy policy solutions. As the only Louisiana consumer advocacy/environmental organization, the Alliance plays a pivotal role in providing citizen input on energy-related issues. Since its inception, the organization's mission has evolved to cover energy issues affecting citizens from reducing energy bills to being the state's lead organizer in the fight to stop global warming. In the wake of the devastating 2005 hurricanes, the Alliance is using its regulatory, policy development, networking and outreach skills to ensure that New Orleans and the region utilize available sustainable technologies and smart planning choices as reconstruction occurs.