After a thorough 14-year process, the Commission made changes to the program to ensure that Louisianans would finally have access to expanded, well-funded programs designed to help families and businesses lower their energy use and save money. The Commission’s leadership in approving this program was a major step forward for energy savings, affordability, and sustainability across the state.
At the upcoming LPSC meeting next Wednesday, March 26, one commissioner is attempting to reverse course by putting utility companies back in charge of running our energy efficiency programs. This undoes years of thoughtful planning and replaces these much-needed programs with weak, outdated, and more expensive alternatives. It would be a costly mistake, wasting time, money, and energy while leaving Louisianans with higher bills and fewer options to improve their homes.
Energy efficiency programs are a proven way to help residents save money while reducing strain on the power grid. The Commission adopted new rules in January of 2024 to drastically change the old program, known as “Quick Start.” This Quick Start program had been in place for a decade, but was only designed to last for two years. Under the old program, each utility was in charge of managing energy efficiency money for programs for their customers — as a result the whole Quick Start program was costly and piecemeal. For-profit utilities’ entire business model relies on selling energy to customers. So why would they want to invest in programs that help customers reduce their energy use? They wouldn’t, it’s a clear conflict of interest that limited the benefits Louisianans got from the programs.
The current plan allows Louisiana to maximize federal funding opportunities, create jobs, and make energy efficiency upgrades accessible to more families and businesses. Pausing or reversing this progress would mean more energy waste, higher bills, and colder winters and hotter summers for residents.
The Commission’s decision to approve the energy efficiency program last year was the result of years of community input, expert analysis, and leadership from Commissioners committed to helping Louisiana residents. Backtracking now would not only erase that progress but also undermine the Commission’s own hard work. No new information has been presented that justifies reversing course—this is simply a move by one Commissioner to protect utility profits at the expense of Louisianans.
Louisianans deserve real action, not delays and political games. Call your Commissioner today and tell them to protect the Third-Party Administrator model and keep the energy efficiency programs moving forward. Let them know:
Your voice matters! Call your Commissioner and urge them to reject any attempt to waste our time and derail Louisiana’s energy efficiency programs. Let’s make sure the LPSC continues to value people over profit.
