The sale costs alone are projected to raise average monthly residential gas bills by at least $31 a year. The Alliance has been urging the Council to vote no on this harmful deal and thoroughly review the potential impact of the sale on residents’ bills.
We encourage those that can to attend the meeting at City Hall in person on Monday, December 16 and submit comments to the Council (on agenda item 3). Can’t attend in person? You can submit a comment online at bit.ly/dec16cmnts. Plus, join the livestream on Monday via the Council’s website.
While Entergy New Orleans has argued that the sale could bring economic development and new jobs to the city, these developments would be funded by captive gas customers, many of whom are already struggling with high energy costs. The Council and applicants have pointed specifically to “100 new jobs” that Delta States Utilities says it will create in the city, but notably, the creation of these jobs is not a condition of the sale.
Either click the link or copy and paste the template from below. You can also find Councilmembers email and phone contact information below.
Councilmembers contact information can be found below. If you’re unsure who your Councilmember is you can find out on their website here.
SUBJECT: NO NEW GAS UTILITY IN NEW ORLEANS!
Dear Cm. NAME,
I am writing to you as your constituent to express my opposition to the sale of Entergy New Orleans’ fossil gas distribution system to a subsidiary of private equity firm Bernhard Capital. As a resident who is already struggling with record-high bills and poor customer service from my local utilities, I do not want yet another utility giving me the run-around.
The sale costs alone for this transaction are projected to raise average monthly residential gas bills by over $12, and that is before Bernhard Capital’s plans to invest in and expand fossil gas distribution infrastructure in our city. These increasing costs will fall on the backs of vulnerable, captive ratepayers.
As more people and companies move toward electrification, including the Sewerage & Water Board (New Orleans’ single-largest retail gas customer), there will be fewer gas customers to share these costs, putting even more of a burden on renters and those who cannot afford to electrify.
Creating a brand-new utility whose sole business is selling fossil gas would be a tremendous step back for the City’s clean energy and climate mitigation goals. As a city on the frontline of a climate that has changed due to the burning of fossil fuels, this transaction would be not only irresponsible, but disastrous for our future. The Council should consider initiating proceedings to acquire and operate the fossil gas system for the public benefit and with any eye toward phasing out fossil gas.
Entergy and Bernhard have not met their burden of proving that this sale is in the public interest or that it would result in net short- and long-term benefits to ratepayers. Please exercise your independent regulatory authority to deny this deal that warrants more scrutiny on behalf of us all.
Sincerely,
NAME
COUNCIL DISTRICT
ADDRESS
