Help paying utility bills in Louisiana

No shutoffs in freezing weather or a heat advisory

The Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) set extreme weather limits in General Order R-29706, issued October 5, 2007. An electric or natural gas utility may not disconnect a residential customer in a parish on a day when the previous day's high did not rise above 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the temperature is predicted to stay at or below that level for the next 24 hours, based on the nearest National Weather Service report. In summer, the trigger is a heat advisory issued by the nearest Weather Service office. Gas utilities may still disconnect during a heat advisory if the customer does not rely on natural gas to cool the home.

Who oversees your Louisiana utility

The LPSC regulates electric, natural gas, water and wastewater utilities that are not owned or run by a city, and it oversees every electric cooperative in Louisiana. City-owned systems are outside its reach and follow local rules, which is common for municipal water and sewer service. New Orleans is different again. There, the City Council regulates Entergy New Orleans through its Utility, Cable, Telecommunications and Technology Committee, so a dispute with that company goes to the Council rather than the state commission. Before you call anyone, look at the company name printed on your bill and figure out which body it answers to. That one step saves time and gets your request to the office that can actually act on it.

LIHEAP through the Louisiana Housing Corporation

The Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC) runs the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which can help with heating or cooling bills, crisis bills and repair or replacement of heating and cooling equipment. LHC's posted schedule lists heating help from December 15 through March 31, cooling help from April 13 through September 30, and crisis help from October 1 through September 30. You can receive one benefit per season. LHC runs the only statewide online portal, but it does not take crisis applications online, so call the local agency for your parish for a crisis appointment. You will need pay stubs from the last 30 days for everyone working, your utility bill, and the disconnect notice if you have one. LHC and its agencies never ask for passwords or bank details, and applying is free.

Late fees, deposits and very old balances

Several older LPSC orders still protect Louisiana customers. Utilities under the Commission may not charge a late penalty above 5 percent of the actual bill, and the penalty cannot apply sooner than 20 days after the billing date. A utility also cannot deny or cut off service because of charges on an account that has been closed for three years or more with no further charges or payments. Survivors of family violence can skip a utility's initial credit or deposit requirement by giving the utility a certification letter from treating medical staff, law enforcement, a district attorney, the attorney general or a family violence program. The letter must be on agency letterhead and expires after 90 days. If a deposit or late fee looks too high, ask which order or tariff the utility is using.

Entergy and utility payment help

Entergy's The Power to Care program focuses on seniors and people with disabilities. Local nonprofit agencies use the fund to provide emergency help on Entergy bills, and Entergy shareholders match customer contributions up to a set total. Ask your local community action agency whether it handles Power to Care, since the same office may also take your LIHEAP application. Whatever company serves you, call before the due date and ask for a payment arrangement or extension, and ask whether the utility has its own assistance fund. Homeowners can also apply for LHC's weatherization program, which adds insulation, air sealing and weather stripping to cut future bills instead of only the current one. Keep a written record of every arrangement, including the date, amount and the representative's name.

Taking a complaint to your commissioner

Louisiana handles utility complaints differently from most states. Instead of one central complaint desk, you contact the office of the LPSC commissioner for your district, which you can find on the Commission's district map. Include your name, address, parish, phone number, email if you have one, the company's name and a short statement of the facts. You can send it by email, mail, phone or fax, and the Commission's main office in Baton Rouge can help if you cannot reach your commissioner. A formal complaint that opens a docketed case is a separate process under the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure. Watch for scams too: the LPSC says genuine Commission business comes only from an la.gov email account.

Settlemont for a Louisiana household

Settlemont gives Louisiana households a way to ask for help on one verified utility bill without posting a statement or a home address. The company is a for-profit bill payment technology business. You fill in first name, email, state, bill category, amount and due date, and nothing else on the public form. After you submit, a one-time private code lets you name the utility in a separate step, and staff confirm the utility, your identity and the current balance before approval. The public page shows only your first name, Louisiana, the Utility category and the verified amount. Supporters pay a service fee of 7% by card or 5% by bank on top of what they choose, and their support goes directly to the utility. Nothing guarantees coverage by the due date.

Sources

• Louisiana Public Service Commission: General Order R-29706, disconnection in extreme weather
• Louisiana Public Service Commission: Consumer news and general orders
• Louisiana Public Service Commission: Submitting a complaint
• Louisiana Housing Corporation: Energy assistance (LIHEAP)
• Entergy: The Power to Care program
• New Orleans City Council: Utility, Cable, Telecommunications and Technology Committee

Facts checked November 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the agency or utility before relying on a protection.

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