NEW ORLEANS - Today, Council Utilities Chair Helena Moreno announced a Utilities Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 16, to discuss yesterday’s revelation by Entergy New Orleans that blackouts on Mardi Gras night unnecessarily affected, not 81MW of load as previously reported, but in fact a total of 105MW.

NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans City Council has joined the Louisiana Public Service Commission and the Arkansas Public Service Commission (together the “Retail Regulators”) to file a complaint at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) against Entergy Corporation, Entergy Services, Inc., Entergy Operations, Inc. and System Energy Resources, Inc. (together “Entergy”). 

The Retail Regulators are seeking refunds and rate reform related to over $1 billion in costs imposed on Entergy customers across New Orleans, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi due to Entergy’s poor management of the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station.

NEW ORLEANS - Today, during a hearing of the Joint Utilities and Public Works Committees, Entergy New Orleans revealed that more than 25,000 customers were shut off during the MISO ordered blackout last Tuesday night, totaling nearly 81MW of load, when only 26MW was required.

NEW ORLEANS - Today, Council Utilities Chair Helena Moreno announced the launch of a Council inquiry into the level of weatherization in Entergy power production infrastructure to protect ratepayers from winter weather disruptions similar to those in Texas. 

In Texas, preliminary reports show that lack of weatherization caused the failure of natural gas, coal, wind and nuclear power generation. To prevent this type of catastrophe in our area, Chair Moreno has ordered the Council utility advisors to assess plants owned or partly owned by Entergy that serve New Orleans then issue a report on the status of weatherization. Based on that report, additional action by the Council may be taken. A letter informing Entergy New Orleans CEO David Ellis of this weatherization assessment was sent last Friday.

NEW ORLEANS - Today, Council President Helena Moreno and Councilmember Joe Giarrusso announced the filing of a full renewal of the expiring 3.14 millage that supports the New Orleans Public Library (NOPL). The notice provides for a vote in the election held on October 9, 2021. The millage renewal, which extends the current millage for nineteen additional years, was first authorized in 1986. It is one of two millages that directly support the operations of the NOPL.