Across the region, people have been complaining of higher utility prices. However, according to Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis, there hasn’t been any price gouging on the part of Delta Utilities. “I think one of the challenges we’re seeing, particularly in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, is that we haven’t had an independent gas company in years. So, everyone is used to paying their electric and gas as one bill. Seeing them as two bills is bringing a lot of new transparency and questions regarding gas operations in the state,” Lewis explained.
According to Lewis, a confluence of factors are coming together to raise your blood pressure when you open those bills. “The natural gas prices, those fuel costs to actually operate the system, have seen some sharp increases this past year. So, a lot of what people are feeling is a new billing system. It’s also been colder both here and across the country, making the demand higher. Ultimately, though, the price of natural gas that Delta Utilities is having to purchase right now is significantly higher than it was last year,” the Public Service Commissioner went on to note.
While nothing shady has been found, Lewis assures Louisiana customers that oversight will continue. “To my investigation thus far, we have not seen anything. We decided last week at the commission instead of doing a two-year fuel audit, we’re going to do it after the first year,” Lewis explained. “In July, we will look to ensure that they’re purchasing the right amount of reserves, that they’re not utilizing the spot market too much, that their contracts are in place and they did the weighted cost of gas correctly. But, I have not seen any wrongdoing. I think it’s a failure of their communication and a failure of transparency as a new operator coming into the system,” he added.
In terms of what consumers can do to help mitigate their utility costs, Lewis suggests upgrading to more fuel-efficient appliances in the home along with weatherizing homes whenever possible. He also says awareness about the appliances currently in the home is lacking for a great many people in the region. “One of the challenges I’ve seen is that a lot of people didn’t realize they have a gas furnace or a gas water heater. So, there’s an educational component to this as well,” the commissioner points out.