Utility companies in Louisiana want state regulators to allow them to fine customers for the profits they will lose from energy efficiency initiatives.

Submission Statement

I suspect we are going to see more measures like this. Prices are continually falling for rooftop solar+battery systems, and as every year goes by it [becomes feasible for more and more people to generate much of their electricity at home](https://www.theverge.com/24150901/ecoflow-powerstream-review-diy-balcony-solar-microinverter). Climate change will exacerbate the trend too, as home setups are an obvious insurance measure as hurricanes and flooding worsen and degrade national infrastructure.

In the 2030s & 40s much of today’s fossil fuel infrastructure will become stranded investments that some people will want compensation for. If fully paid for, that bill could run to trillions of dollars globally. Choices will have to be made. Nationalization of some legacy energy companies might make more sense if they can no longer survive in a free market system.

If the Louisiana Utilities also own the poles and transmission lines this does make some sense. The lines are also used to run cable into homes that have solar, and are used to distribute the solar power out of houses and into the grid.

So, they are using part of the system, so a base rate seems feasible to me.

the LPSC trying to keep things fair the utilities are like that one friend who insists on bringing their own snacks to a potluck. I guess in the world of energy, even saving money can be a costly affair