New Orleans hosting utility assistance event for residents at risk of having power shut off - WDSU New Orleans

AT FIVE. WE BEGIN FIVE WITH NEWS MANY ENTERGY NEW ORLEANS MAY HAVE BEEN DREADING THE UTILITY COMPANIES THAT SHUT OFF MORATORIUM OFFICIALLY ENDS NEXT TUESDAY. WHAT THAT MEANS, IF YOU HAVE A BILL THAT’S DUE, YOUR LIGHTS COULD BE SHUT OFF. WDSU REPORTER MORGAN LENTES LIVE RIGHT NOW ON CANAL STREET TO TELL YOU, HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD BE IMPACTED? MORGAN YOU TRAVERSE JENA, AT LEAST HUNDREDS. THAT’S ACCORDING TO ONE LOCAL NONPROFIT RIGHT NOW. THEIR OFFICE HAS A BACKLOG OF ABOUT 500 APPLICATIONS. ALL PEOPLE SEEKING UTILITY ASSISTANCE. THE NEED IS GROWING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITH INFLATION AND COVID, THE BILLS ARE ASTRONOMICAL. IT IS A TOUGH SITUATION LEADING TO EVEN CHOICES FOR MANY IN NEW ORLEANS. EITHER PAY THEIR RENT OR UTILITIES. YOU KNOW, SHELTER COMES FIRST. AND THEN I GUESS I CAN GET TO THE UTILITIES. SKELTON JONES WORKS FOR TOTAL ACTION. HE KNOWS HOW DESPERATE SOME ENTERGY CUSTOMERS WILL BE WHEN SHUTOFFS RESUME NEXT WEEK. HIS NONPROFIT PROVIDES UTILITY FUNDED BY THE STATE. BUT RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE A WAITING LIST. 5 TO 600 PEOPLE. THIS WILL PROBABLY BE THE FIRST TIME WHERE WE’LL BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WELL, ON FIRST WE ARE NOT THAT YOU CAN COME TO TO GET THAT HELP ON WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU UNLESS WE HEAR FROM YOU. SO WE ENCOURAGE CUSTOMERS TO CALL US. YOU KNOW, WE CAN CUSTOMIZE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS. WE CAN WALK THROUGH THE BILL WITH THEM AND. WE COULD TALK TO THEM ABOUT AREAS WHERE MAYBE THEY MAY BE ABLE TO SAVE ON THEIR BILL. SO TCI AND ENTERGY NEW ORLEANS ARE URGING CUSTOMERS TO CONTACT THE UTILITY DIRECTLY. SANDRA DIGGS MILLER IS OVER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SAYS HER TEAM WANTS TO WORK WITH YOU. SO WE CAN HELP YOU IF YOU CALL US. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN WITH CUSTOMERS ON, BUT THEY HAVE TO REACH OUT TO US. SHE ADDED THAT SOME RELIEF SHOULD ARRIVE WITH THE COOLER BUT STRESSED HIGH NATURAL GAS PRICES COULD MEAN YOU’LL CONTINUE TO PAY MORE THAN IN PAST YEARS. I MEAN, TYPICALLY YOU WOULD EXPECT A BREAK AS WE ARE GOING INTO THIS WINTER SEASON AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER PRICES TO IMPACT THE BILLS. WE WANT CUSTOMERS TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT. ALL RIGHT. SO WHERE DO NATURAL GAS PRICES STAND RIGHT NOW AND WHAT’S THE OUTLOOK FOR THEM GOING FORWARD? I ASKED AN EXPERT AT TULANE UNIVERSITY. THAT’S COMING UP. ALL NEW AT SIX FOUR NOW REPORTING LIVE ALONG CANAL STREET, A MORGAN LENTES. WDSU NEWS. ALL RIGHT, MORGA