Public Service Commissioners outline large energy projects, resiliency programs and consumer protections

Public Service Commissioner Eric Scametta told the Saint Charles Parish Council on Nov. 3 that large private projects including a planned Meta data center and a Hyundai steel mill will bring substantial new generation and transmission investment to Louisiana.

“Meta’s building a $27,000,000,000 facility in North Louisiana,” Scametta said. He described the project as “a 4,000,000‑square‑foot behemoth” backed by a 15‑year power guarantee and said the company will fund new generation and community grants. He argued those arrangements protect local ratepayers from bearing the full cost of new plants.

Scametta also described the Hyundai Steel project in Ascension Parish, presented job estimates and said the projects include commitments for local hiring, workforce training and dock and port investments.

Public Service Commissioner Davonte Lewis focused on near‑term resiliency actions and customer protections. He reported that Entergy Louisiana has completed multiple pole‑hardening and transmission projects in the parish and that additional upgrades are scheduled through 2026–2027. Lewis said the commission approved a statewide utility‑led energy‑efficiency program that will begin Jan. 1, 2026, and that 15% of utility program spending must be reserved for seniors and low‑income customers.

Lewis also said the commission asked utilities to avoid disconnections for customers affected by federal funding interruptions and explained that Entergy’s gas distribution business was sold and is now operating as Delta Utilities; the commission has not approved any immediate rate changes for Delta.

Council members pressed both commissioners on whether new generation and transmission related to the projects will raise local electric rates. Scametta said Meta’s guarantees and payment for upgrades mean the projects “will not come back on the ratepayers,” while Lewis described ongoing rulemaking to measure reliability at a more granular, distribution level and to add customer credits for so‑called fair‑weather outages.

Both commissioners fielded questions about regional transmission organization participation (MISO), pipeline and transmission cost allocation, and the timing of planned upgrades.

The commissioners took questions from council members and pledged to follow up with additional details and maps of specific upgrades in Saint Charles Parish.