News - Energy Future New Orleans

A look back at Entergy's promises to sell a gas plant to New Orleans

9/5/2021

Hurricane Ida left hundreds of thousands in southeast Louisiana without power despite years of promises by Entergy that our communities would not have a repeat of power grid failures if they could just build that plant in New Orleans East. We have already learned that the promise of power coming back without outside transmission was false.

excerpt from the City Council's approval of NOPS

Check out these clips from the City Council's July 26th, 2017 UCTTC meeting at which Entergy attorney Brian Guillot and former president & CEO Charles Rice sell the City Council on NOPS and its importance in an emergency situation, touting its ability to "keep the lights on."

Briefing Statement: Energy Regulation in New Orleans

7/14/2021

The New Orleans City Council has an extraordinary power -- the regulation of Entergy as an investor-owned utility company. Though the Council has a designated Utility, Cable, Telecommunications and Technology Committee (“UCTTC”) consisting of five members, major regulatory decisions are brought to the full Council for voting. Thus, all New Orleans City Council members are both legislators and regulators of a major electric and gas utility.

For years, the Energy Future New Orleans Coalition has advocated for strong regulatory oversight of Entergy in order to lower costs to ratepayers, increase the reliability of electric service in New Orleans, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are the cause of the changing climate threatening the future of our city. We have prepared this simple informational sheet to highlight some of the regulatory issues currently pending before the Council:

Briefing Statement: Energy Regulation

Distributed Energy Resources are Poised to Revolutionize the Power System by Duncan Campbell

2/18/2021

Article by Duncan Campbell
Originally published on Scale Microgrid Solutions
February 17, 2021

Our infrastructure was not designed for the new world we face. In six months we’ve seen two black swan weather events cause an energy crisis. As we reckon with the systems engineering impact of extreme weather, energy resilience will undoubtedly emerge as an essential underpinning of our future grid.

What’s up with New Orleans Climate Action and Our Renewable Portfolio Standard?

12/17/2020

Months ago the New Orleans City Council unanimously approved a resolution committing the City to 100% Net-Zero emissions by 2040, followed by actual zero emissions by 2050. Then the Council sent stakeholders back to the table to work out the details.

Now the Council is expected to take up a final renewable resolution in January 2021. So, what does the rule on the Council’s desks look like, and does it meet those top four goals laid out by the Council earlier this year? Here is the breakdown.

Letters: New Orleans should take lead in historic transition to renewables

5/20/2020

Article by Brent Newman
Originally published on The Advocate
May 7, 2020

These are challenging times for New Orleans. COVID-19 has many of our neighbors out of work, struggling to pay rent, utilities, and other bills. As a people who traditionally combat the hard times by congregating, with a live band and a cold beverage, we now maintain our sense of community through Zoom calls, supporting first responders and donating to local relief efforts when we can. We respond to adversity through creativity and innovation, as the city of New Orleans has for over 300 years.

Advocate Staff Photo by David Grunfeld: Windmill blades prepared for transportation sit at the Associated Terminals on Weinberger Road in Chalmette, Tuesday, July 30, 2019. Renewable-energy advocates, federal officials and representatives of wind-industry groups argue that wind power ought to get a closer look, as larger turbines and the prospect of lower costs could make a wind farm in the Gulf of Mexico a viable future power source for the city.

New Orleans City Council declares intention to achieve renewable energy goals. Denies 100% Renewable Portfolio Standard.

3/12/2020

Today, the New Orleans City Council issued a resolution that calls on stakeholders to develop regulations on a “100% Renewable and Clean Portfolio Standard” that will mandate that Entergy New Orleans reduce their net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2040 through the use of renewable energy resources, nuclear, gas. The Council set forth a six month timeline directing stakeholders to outline cost management policy, set mandatory deadlines for emissions reductions, and to phase out renewable “credits” by 2050.

New Orleans CAN afford a renewable energy future. We CAN'T afford the status quo.

3/9/2020

In response to Entergy New Orlean's claims that a Resilient + Renewable Portfolio Standard would be unaffordable for New Orleans, the Alliance for Affordable Energy worked with the Applied Economics Clinic to set the record straight.

Liz Stanton, PhD, Researcher Bryndis Woods, and Assistant Researchers Eliandro Tavares and Sagal Alisalad prepared a report that addresses Entergy New Orleans’ (ENO) critiques of the Energy Future New Orleans Coalition's July 2019 Resilient Renewable Portfolio Standard (R-RPS) proposal to achieve a 100 percent renewable electric generation by 2040.

ENO incorrectly claims that the R-RPS would: be prohibitively costly; harm grid resiliency, and harm grid reliability. AEC’s analysis of the R-RPS found the plan to be affordable, would provide substantial resiliency benefits, and would reliably provide New Orleans’ energy needs. Keep reading for some of the top takeaways from AEC's report.

Economic Impact Analysis determines R-RPS is best path forward.

3/9/2020

The proposal for a Resilient+Renewable Portfolio Standard, submitted by the Energy Future New Orleans coalition, will establish a 100 percent Renewable Energy Standard by 2040 and result in more jobs, greater emissions reductions, and more local investment than alternatives, and an energy system that is more prepared to withstand the realities of a changing climate.

Majority of New Orleanians support 100% Renewable Energy

3/4/2020

According to an opinion poll commissioned by the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a clear majority of New Orleans residents are supportive of a transition to 100% renewable energy and away from fossil fuels.

The New Orleans City Council & Entergy vs. The People of New Orleans

1/6/2020

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal to decide open meetings law violations, Entergy Gas Plant after hearing oral arguments today.

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal Honorable Judges James McKay, Paula Brown and Dale Atkins heard oral arguments on appeals of Judge Piper Griffin’s two judgments that included a decision to void the New Orleans City Council’s approval of Entergy’s gas plant for open meetings law violations. Entergy joined the City Council in arguing against New Orleans community and public interest organizations, who were represented by attorneys from the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Earthjustice, Green Justice Legal and Loyola Law School.

The Energy Future New Orleans Coalition is:

Nola Businesses and ORgs in support of R-RPS: Carrolton Riverbend Neighborhood Association - Frady's One Stop - Capulet - The Warehouse - Paloma Cafe - Fini Boutique - Tiffany Nails Spa - West Marine - Antiques on Jackson - Peony - Bambi DeVille Vintage - Tru Burger - Chateau Sew and Sew - Grandmother's Buttons - Jaci Blue - Goorin Brothers - Stein's Market and Deli - District Donuts - Irpino, Avin, and Hawkins Law firm - Miette - Rhino - Mystic Blue Signs - Hell or High Water - Catalino's LLC - Swap Boutique - Maple St. Cafe - Chill Out Cafe - Chiba - Castellomi Pharmacy - Mellow Mushroom - Yes, Yoga - Glue - Life City - Love's Music Therapy - Pepperonis Cafe - Emily Flagler Architect

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