Campbell: Quicker Entergy action could help keep IP open

By MARK RAINWATER
Published: Thursday, May 11, 2006 6:46 PM CDT
Bastrop Daily Enterprise
http://www.bastropenterprise.com/articles/2006/05/11/news/news4.txt

Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell feels Entergy isn’t moving quickly enough to implement a plan that could preserve the future of International Paper’s Louisiana Mill.

A year ago, the Federal Energy Commission ruled Entergy must equalize the rates it charges customers in the four states it serves. Commercial and resident Entergy customers in north Louisiana pay higher rates than customers in other parts of Louisiana and customers Entergy serves in Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas.

International Paper officials have said high energy costs — $2 million a month — are a major factor in the company's future plans for the mill. Campbell repeated Tuesday a mantra he's been chanting for a year: The company needs to implement its new rate structure posthaste.

“Customers in Louisiana pay 35 percent higher than Entergy customers in other states,” Campbell said. “Getting the new rate structure in place could play a role in what International Paper decides to do here in Bastrop. Though I’ve heard good things about new jobs in the area, it’s hard to replace jobs where people are earning $40,000 and $50,000 and $60,000 a year. We’re going to continue to fight any way we can to keep the mill open.”

Campbell’s remarks came at a town hall meeting held yesterday at the Morehouse Parish Police Jury’s McMean's Annex. He said the latest word from Entergy indicates the new rate structure won’'t be in place until June 2007, when the company is also planning to implement a schedule of rebates that will cover a 12-month period.

“They say it will be 2007, and I say it ought to start January 1,” Campbell said. “It’s just another example of them dragging their feet to pile up more profits.”

Another major topic of discussion was something the PSC is powerless to address — high gasoline prices. Campbell said in the 1930s, steps were taken to dismantle monopolies, but now companies like Exxon/Mobil have been allowed to join forces at a time when oil companies are recording record profits.

“Exxon has been in Louisiana since the 1920s. They’ve created jobs, but they’ve also contributed to problems with pollution and erosion of our coastal marshes,” Campbell said. “They contributed $7 million to the state to aid in the effort after Hurricane Katrina. And then they give their retiring CEO $400 million. They treat us like stepchildren. I don’t want to say we’ve been raped, but we’ve certainly been abused.”