If your energy bill feels criminally high, that’s because it is. The Entergy New Orleans monopoly has inflated rates, manipulated regulators, and deceived the public—all while raking in billions. And when money alone wasn’t enough, they straight-up lied—hiring paid actors to fake public support for a gas plant that New Orleanians didn’t want.
A Monopoly Playing by Its Own Rules
Entergy’s record-breaking profits prove they never needed these relentless rate hikes to stay afloat. In 2024 alone, Entergy Corporation reported billions in earnings, with margins far exceeding what is necessary to operate a stable and reliable grid. Over the past decade, while customers saw their bills rise exponentially, Entergy consistently reported strong dividends and executive bonuses, making it clear that these hikes were never about sustainability—they were about maximizing shareholder returns. The company’s continued profitability raises a glaring question: If Entergy can thrive while charging exorbitant rates, why are New Orleanians still struggling with outages, crumbling infrastructure, and some of the highest energy costs in the region?
ENO has no competition. If you live in New Orleans, you’re stuck with them. They’ve treated customers like ATM machines, withdrawing more and more of our hard-earned cash while delivering unreliable service and endless excuses.
After Hurricane Ida, Entergy secured approval to charge customers an extra $170 million—despite the fact that much of the grid failure was due to their own decades-long neglect. Meanwhile, their parent company continued funneling money to shareholders. This isn’t about keeping the lights on—it’s about keeping profits high.
And when they’re not bleeding ratepayers dry, they’re rigging the system. Entergy’s astroturfing scandal—where they hired paid actors to pose as residents in support of a controversial gas plant—led to a $5 million fine. The fine was pocket change, and the plant was built anyway. They lied, they cheated, and they got away with it.
Bought and Paid For: Entergy’s Political Influence
Follow the money. Over the past decade, Entergy Louisiana, its executives, and affiliated individuals have poured over $1 million into Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) races. The very people meant to regulate them are funded by them.
This isn’t democracy. This is corporate control—where Entergy buys influence, dictates policy, and shields itself from accountability, all while squeezing working people for every last dollar. Whenever regulators try to push back—whether by cutting Entergy’s profit margins or investigating outages—the company fights back with lawsuits, political pressure, and lobbying muscle. When the City Council attempted to reduce Entergy’s inflated rate of return in 2019, Entergy sued them to stop it.
This isn’t regulation. This is a monopoly running the show.
Political Accountability: The Corrupt and the Critics
While some politicians—like Helena Moreno, J.P. Morrell, and Joe Giarrusso—have pushed back against Entergy’s influence, the company’s grip on Louisiana energy policy remains ironclad. A few critical voices won’t undo decades of corporate loyalty bought and paid for with campaign cash.
Meanwhile, the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC)—the body responsible for regulating utilities statewide—has been riddled with conflicts of interest. Its commissioners routinely accept campaign donations from the very companies they are supposed to regulate. This isn’t oversight. This is legalized bribery.
The People Pushing Back
New Orleanians aren’t staying silent. Activist groups like the Alliance for Affordable Energy and local advocates have exposed Entergy’s abuses. Public outrage has forced change—most recently, Entergy was pressured into returning $138 million in overcharges to customers.
And this isn’t the first time the public has won. After Entergy’s astroturfing scandal, public backlash led to major investigations and a fine that exposed the depth of their deception. In 2021, after massive public pressure, the City Council launched an independent audit of Entergy’s grid failures, revealing what we already knew—Entergy’s underinvestment in infrastructure led to power failures, yet they still had the audacity to demand more from customers.
Every time Entergy is dragged into the spotlight, we see the same pattern—overcharging, underdelivering, and lying about it.
Where Do We Go from Here? Real Solutions for a Broken System
ENO has made it clear: they will prioritize profits over people for as long as we let them. So how do we stop them?
New Orleans must explore public ownership of its power grid. Cities like Austin, TX, and Sacramento, CA, operate public utilities that put people before profit. Why should we let a private monopoly control one of our most essential resources?
Stronger campaign finance laws must be enforced. Regulators should be banned from accepting donations from industries they oversee. No politician should take Entergy’s money while pretending to regulate Entergy.
A full forensic audit of Entergy’s finances must be conducted. How much have they overcharged customers? Where exactly did that money go? The people deserve answers.
Local leaders must be held accountable. Every City Council member must be asked: Will you continue to protect Entergy’s profits, or will you fight for the people you represent?
This is about more than energy bills. This is about power—who holds it and who gets screwed by it. Entergy has played this game for too long, but their time is running out. New Orleans deserves better.
The question now is: What are we going to do about it?
