Your Input is Needed on Entergy’s Plans for Our Future

Every three years, Entergy New Orleans is required to develop an Integrated Resource Plan, or IRP, to assess how it will meet future energy needs. For instance, does Entergy want to retire costly, and dirty natural gas generation in favor of renewables? Is Entergy investing enough in energy efficiency programs that can lower costs for residents and businesses? The goal of the IRP is to select the best mix of energy resources—but the big question is, best for whom? 

Utilities often prioritize profits, but organizations like the Alliance for Affordable Energy are fighting to ensure Entergy’s plan prioritizes residents by investing in affordable, clean options like energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The IRP process invites public input, making it a great opportunity for you to have a say in decisions that will shape energy affordability, reliability, and sustainability in our community.

For more background on the IRP process, check out our previous blogs:

• IRP 2nd Public Meeting
• Decoding Entergy’s IRP
• Energy Planning for the Future

• IRP models indicate that Entergy’s compliance with the Renewable and Clean Portfolio Standard (RCPS) is the cheapest way to produce electricity. The Council should consider strengthening the RCPS (e.g. by creating a carveout for locally-generated renewable energy and implementing consolidated billing for community solar) to encourage greater adoption of renewable energy.
• The Council should require robust demand-side management programs that give providers the certainty necessary to sustain a thriving local economy for efficiency and distributed energy services. In future IRP cycles, as it has done in the past, the Council should conduct its own independent demand-side management potential study to provide a contrast to Entergy’s. 
• Entergy is dependent on fossil gas for approximately 58% of its generation. Fossil gas prices are volatile and trending upward. The Council should require a rapid shift away from fossil gas generation.
• Entergy is modeling for hydrogen co-firing and/or generation without providing any estimate of hydrogen fuel costs or sources. Because fuel costs for Entergy are a direct pass through to ratepayers, this is not a concern for the utility, but is a major concern for ratepayers.

• At-Large – Helena Moreno: helena.moreno@nola.gov, 504-658-1060
• At-Large – Jean Paul “JP” Morrell: jp.morrell@nola.gov, 504-658-1070
• District A – Joseph I. Giarrusso III: joseph.giarrusso@nola.gov, 504-658-1010
• District B – Lesli Harris: lesli.harris@nola.gov, 504-658-1020
• District C – Freddie King III: freddie.king@nola.gov, 504-658-1030
• District D – Eugene J. Green: eugene.green@nola.gov, 504-658-1040
• District E – Oliver Thomas: oliver.thomas@nola.gov, 504-658-1050