NEW ORLEANS — The moratorium on Entergy shutoffs and late fees expired on Tuesday, Nov. 1, meaning the company will resume cutting power and issuing late fees for customers who have not paid their bill.
Entergy New Orleans customers behind on their bill had a break from late fees and shutoffs after the city council pushed the electricity provider to pause on those efforts since thousands of customers were struggling to pay their bills.
Many who live in the service area have said their bills skyrocketed this summer. Entergy officials said high bills were a result of the cost of natural gas for heating is increasing, and AC usage that accelerated in the middle of summer.
Since then, the city and the utility company have spent millions in bill assistance, helping thousands of families through partnerships with nonprofits like United Way, Hope House, Catholic Charities and St. Vincent DePaul.
Vice President of Customer Service for Entergy, Sandra Diggs-Miller, says assistance is out there, customers just have to do their due diligence to seek help.
"Our goal is to work with and assist our customers, our goal is not to disconnect them at all," Diggs-Miller said. "We may be able to direct them to some of those programs, or they can call up some of those local charities to see, you know, who has funds available."
While some of those programs include special requirements to receive funding, there is also an option for all Entergy customers. Deferred Payment Arrangements are when you can take your past due balance and break it up over several months, so that you won't have to pay it all at one time.
"Mind, you will have to pay out what you agree to in addition to your current monthly bill. So, we encourage customers to continue to manage their bill each month," Diggs-Miller said.
In the meantime, Entergy is pushing people to be proactive and combat energy usage. Customers can get a free weatherization assessment on their home, to pinpoint what they need to do save energy and decrease their bill.
"You would not believe the number of customers who have been able to reduce their bill in cost based on them just taking advantage of our energy smart program," Diggs-Miller said.
If your power does get shut off and you have not made arrangements to create a payment plan, Diggs-Miller says reach out immediately.
"You shouldn't get to that point if you call us, you know, and we can work with you," she said. "But if you do get to that point, absolutely contact us immediately so that we can understand and work with you in your situation."
Entergy will host a meeting at the New Orleans East Hospital from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 4. Customers are welcome to come out and bring their bills if you have questions.
The City of New Orleans will also host two different utility assistance events one Nov. 2 and 3 at the Joe Brown Recreation Center. If you need assistance you are encouraged to bring: A form of identification, proof of address and/or current lease, proof of current total household income and documentation evidencing the past due utility bill.
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