Campbell Continues To Dispute Energy Costs
by Greg Hilburn - News Star (excerpt)

Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell continued his crusade against Entergy Louisiana's high costs to northeastern Louisiana consumers.

"This isn't personal," said Campbell, D-Bossier City, who spoke during a West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Friday. "The company is a monopoly. They're guaranteed a profit, so they aren't going broke, and we don't want them to go broke.

"But it's not my job to represent the utilities. It's my job to represent the people, and right now the people and businesses here are paying the highest electricity rates in the state. You need to know the truth."

Entergy's rates aren't actually the highest, but the company relies heavily on natural gas to generate its electricity and passes on the fuel costs to its customers. Natural gas costs have skyrocketed in recent years.

Campbell referenced a Public Service Commission document that showed Entergy Louisiana customers pay about $107 for 1,000 kilowatt hours compared to about $72 for Cleco and Swepco customers.

"Some of the problems Entergy can fix; some it can't," Campbell said. "They can't help the cost of natural gas, but they have old, inefficient plants that they need to do away with, and they don't want to do it."