Special to The Sun-Sentinel
JACKSON — On June 17, the Mississippi Public Service Commission approved Entergy Mississippi’s annual rate plan to keep energy rates stable and bills 20% below the national average.
The plan, taking effect during the July billing cycle, comes as the anticipated summer heat wave will cause customers to increase their energy usage. The typical residential customer using 1,000 kWh per month will have a bill decrease of .04 cents beginning in July, keeping bills stable.
Despite the increased costs required to generate power, maintain infrastructure and provide electrical service, Entergy Mississippi’s annual rate plan offsets those costs and ensures rates remain as flat as possible, while customers’ energy use is at its highest. The company takes several cost-saving actions to achieve this, including:
• Recruiting new power partners: By bringing new, large customers into the service area, Entergy creates a framework that allows it to invest in its infrastructure while lessening the burden for residential customers.
• Building an all of the above generation mix: Using a diverse range of power sources helps shield customers from fuel price fluctuations and enhances grid reliability.
• Modernizing the generation fleet: With new power generation sources in Entergy’s plans, the modern technologies will allow Entergy to bring cleaner, more efficient and more cost-effective power to Mississippi.
• Managing fuel costs: Fuel costs are never marked up, so customers pay exactly what Entergy pays. Plus, Entergy is in a constant state of trying to procure fuel at the lowest price available.
As the summer heat rises, customers are reminded that bills are not only impacted by rates, but also energy usage.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, cooling costs can make up more than 52% of an average customer’s electric bill.
Entergy customers can visit billtoolkit.entergy.com/ mississippi/ to find a variety of tips and resources that help explain bills and save money and energy.
