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NEW ORLEANS - Through a resolution, the New Orleans City Council is requesting federal assistance to help cover Hurricane Ida power restoration costs and the future hardening of the power grid. Led by Council President Helena Moreno, the resolution is co-authored by all members of the Council.
Federal funding for power restoration costs, now estimated at nearly $150 million for New Orleans alone, remains among Council President Moreno's top priorities in the wake of Hurricane Ida.
"Storms like Ida are becoming more frequent as the climate warms, so we need to act now to partner with all levels of government to help prepare ourselves for future costs," said Council President Moreno. "We need federal assistance to protect our ratepayers, ensure financial stability for our utility, and modernize our grid. I'm 100% committed to winning funding for these costs on behalf of our people and our future."
Councilmember Moreno's resolution comes as she and Councilmember Joe Giarrusso travel to Washington D.C. this week to speak directly with federal leaders and members of the Louisiana congressional delegation, to help advocate on behalf of ratepayers. Their advocacy for restoration assistance is also paired with a message of strong support for the Biden Administration's transformative grid resiliency and hardening proposals now being debated in Congress.
"The question of a hurricane hitting New Orleans is not if, but when. Ida may have been the latest storm but there have been and will be others," said District "A" Councilmember Joe Giarrusso. "Whatever we can do with available or upcoming federal dollars to lessen the ratepayer burden and to strengthen the grid is important for immediate relief and to help with future resiliency and hardening of the system."
The full Council will consider the resolution during Thursday's regular meeting.
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