Proposal Would Mean Adequate Power, Better Efficiency
Beaumont, Texas –Entergy Texas, Inc.
today filed a plan with the Public Utility Commission of Texas that would allow
it to keep up with the growth of its Texas service territory and ensure a
sufficient supply of reliable power for customers.
As filed, the plan calls for an
additional $112 million in annual revenue supporting increased capital
investment in the company’s electricity infrastructure from 2009-2011.
From July 2007 through June
2009,Entergy Texas invested $261.8 million to complete transmission and
distribution capital projects. The company plans to invest an additional $664
million in its Texas service territory over the next three years.
In an attempt to lower bills in the
future, Entergy is proposing a remedy to costly rate cases by asking that all
purchased capacity costs—including both purchased capacity costs already in base
rates and new purchased capacity costs—be recovered through a rider rather than
through base rate increases.
Each rate case costs customers about
$12.5 million. Fewer rate cases will save customers money. A rider will not
reduce Public Utility Commission oversight. The commission will continue to
regulate the company.
Purchased power is an important part
of how the electric market operates today as the result of the emergence of a
wholesale market. In the past, electric utilities powered America by making
electricity at their own generating plants, then sending it out on their own
transmission and distribution lines to homes and businesses in the clearly
defined areas they served.
That model has changed dramatically
since the mid-1990s with the emergence of a wholesale power industry that often
makes it possible for utilities to provide electricity at a lower cost by buying
it from independent power producers.
Entergy Texas is taking advantage of
that opportunity by purchasing power on the wholesale market and also by
entering contracts that ensure reliable power into the future. Three recent
contracts include the following:
-
Calpine- Carville, 242.5
megawatts
-
Conoco Phillips, 100 megawatts
-
Sam Rayburn Dam Electric
Cooperative, 225 megawatts
Currently, purchased power capacity
costs are recovered through base rate increases.
This makes it necessary to file rate
cases more frequently.
If approved as filed, the average
monthly 1,000 kilowatt-hour residential bill would increase by $14.37.
Entergy Texas, Inc. provides
electricity to more than 400,000 customers in 27 counties.
It is a subsidiary of Entergy
Corporation. Entergy is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in
electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and
operates power plans with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating
capacity, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States.
Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas,
Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
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entergytexas.com
Twitter: @EntergyTX
In
this news release, and from time to time, Entergy Texas, Inc. makes certain
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Except to the extent required by the federal
securities laws, Entergy Texas undertakes no obligation to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events, or otherwise.
Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There
are factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including (a) those
factors discussed in: (i) Entergy Corporation’s Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2010; (ii) Entergy Corporation’s Form 10-Q for the quarters ended
March 31, 2011, June 30, 2011 and September 30, 2011; and (iii) Entergy
Corporation’s other reports and filings made under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934; (b) uncertainties associated with rate proceedings, formula rate plans
and other cost recovery mechanisms; (c) uncertainties associated with efforts to
remediate the effects of major storms and recover related restoration costs; (d)
nuclear plant relicensing, operating and regulatory risks, including any changes
resulting from the nuclear crisis in Japan following its catastrophic earthquake
and tsunami; (e) legislative and regulatory actions and risks and uncertainties
associated with claims or litigation by or against Entergy Corporation and its
subsidiaries; and (f) conditions in commodity and capital markets during the
periods covered by the forward-looking statements, in addition to other factors
described elsewhere in this presentation and in subsequent securities filings.