PSC Meeting To Focus On Utility Bills
The Town Talk (excerpt)

The Louisiana Public Service Commission will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 12, in Baton Rouge to consider invoking an "energy emergency" to give ratepayers temporary relief from rising utility bills, an official announced Friday.

The special PSC meeting is set for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12, in the Natchez Room of the Galvez Building, 602 N. Fifth St. in Baton Rouge.

Commissioner Foster Campbell of Bossier City called for the meeting in response to high natural-gas prices reflected in fuel adjustments on Louisiana electric bills, according to a news release from Campbell's office. The commission normally does not meet in August.

The news release said Campbell proposes to invoke a 2001 state law authorizing the PSC to declare an "energy emergency" due to "inordinately high utility bills."

The move would require utilities regulated by the PSC to defer a portion of their bills for up to 12 months for seniors on fixed incomes and certain other customers.

Campbell wants Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Legislature to devote part of the state's $1 billion surplus to supplementing federal aid for home energy assistance.