Entergy customers will see a slight reduction in their July bills as a result of action taken Tuesday by the Mississippi Public Service Commission.
The three-man commission approved on a unanimous vote during its monthly meeting a reduction of $7.08 for typical residential customers using 1,000 kWh, beginning in July as Mississippians head into the summer season’s higher temperatures.
“In light of much lower natural gas prices and in an attempt to help reduce costs for customers throughout the hot summer months when energy bills are at their peak due to high electricity usage, the Commission recognizes the challenges and seeks solutions for customers during this time,” said Central District Commissioner Brent Bailey. “As summer heats up and customers use more electricity to cool their homes, we continue to remind Mississippians that even taking simple steps can reduce energy consumption and maintain more affordable energy bills.”
The commission also revised Entergy’s treatment of skylining/danger tree vegetation management expense.
“While power interruptions across the South continue to decrease, it is our expectation that this action will encourage Entergy Mississippi to continue a more aggressive vegetation treatment plan,” Bailey said. “Vegetation management plays a significant role in reducing and avoiding outages and damage to power infrastructure.”
Responding to the Public Service Commission’s decision, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO Haley Fisackerly said, “We work hard to safely provide reliable and affordable electricity to all our customers, Low rates are important to our customers as they budget for the home, as small businesses owners create new jobs, and as industries look to expand in our state.”
The rate decrease and a decline in natural gas prices are not the only factors contributing to more savings for customers. Entergy Mississippi has implemented several other money-saving strategies to benefit customers, too, including:
Spreading costs over time to help customers budget for higher bills caused by increased natural gas prices.
Streamlining operational costs to become even more efficient.
Saving customers’ money with free home energy efficiency kits and services.
Shifting dependence on natural gas by offering new and varied power sources.
“We’re thankful to the Mississippi Public Service Commission for approving this decrease in rates, which allows our customers to save money. It comes at a crucial time, when the Mississippi heat tends to cause high energy usage,” said Fisackerly. “We hope this savings will help customers feel some relief from the heat and in their wallets at a time when they need it most.”
Entergy Mississippi’s residential rates continue to be among the lowest in the nation and have grown more slowly than the cost of other goods since 2005. In nearly two decades, residential rates have increased by 23%, while the cost of bread and eggs have risen by 63% and 135%, respectively.
You can watch the entire docket meeting on the Mississippi Public Service Commission YouTube channel.
