Public Service Commission
What does the PSC actually do?
The Louisiana Public Service Commissioner (PSC) is a constitutionally created and independent elected body. They are not at the direction of the governor or legislature. They have no one to report to other than the voters who elect them into office. This means you hold the power.
Do you know what your Public Service Commissioner actually does and are you engaging with them once they’re in office? If not, you’re giving them your power since you (the voter) is the only one who can actually hold them accountable. Public Service Commissioners are elected to 5 districts throughout the state.
Commissioners have complete and absolute power.
- Take action on behalf of all of us/Louisianans
- To ensure safe, reliable, and reasonably priced public utilities for most of Louisiana. These include water, gas, electricity, telephone, telecommunications, and intrastate transportation.
If it’s their job to regulate, why should I care?
Commissioners serve 6-year terms, with a 3-term limit.
That can add up to 18 years.
- They determine what costs are passed onto ratepayers
- They decide whether to invest in low-cost renewable energy sources
- They control how much you save or spend on needed utilities
- Commissioners can receive campaign donations from the utility industries they regulate which can give those companies more voice than the people they serve. Engaging with the PSC is a way you, the voter, stay in control and hold them accountable to YOU.
Painting the Full Picture
There’s a lot of conversation right now about why people are experiencing high energy bills. 71% of Louisiana’s Energy is powered by natural gas, and It’s easy to say the spike is because of the rising costs of natural gas. With complete power to help regulate reasonably priced public utilities like electricity, the PSC can help work towards solutions.
Here’s something the PSC decided on over the last 18 years that’s impacting you now.
In 2009 the Commission considered the possibility of switching to renewable energy sources. They declined the decision at the time because they thought renewable energy sources like wind and solar were too expensive, but If you look at the way the cost of wind and solar have dropped since 2009, it’s hard not to wonder how much your bill might be now if we had a more forward thinking elected-Commission.
PSC Matters Even More for Louisiana
In 2020, Louisiana had the highest annual electricity consumption at 14,407 kWh per residential customer, an average of about 1,200 kWh per month (compared with the US average of 893 kWh per month).
Talk About Power
Louisiana is a leader in the nation for rates of incarceration. With a total incarcerated population of 62,534, a lot of families in our state are impacted by the cost of prison call rates. People with an incarcerated loved one are deprived of seeing them regularly in person, and also face steep fees. The PSC controls and sets the cost of prison phone calls. They have the ability to work towards lowering or eliminating prison call costs so incarcerated people will no longer be barred from communicating with their loved ones.
