LOUISIANA CHEMICAL firms say they will pay inordinately high electric bills under a state-approved electricity surcharge that went into effect last week.Entergy,the state's primary electricity provider,sought the increase to pay for damages from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.Entergy s New Orleans subsidiary filed for bankruptcy because of overwhelming repair costs following the storms last fall.The chemical industry will likely ask the state Public Service Commission to restructure the plan at its March 29 meeting,said Joe Marone,chairman of the Louisiana Energy Users Group."It puts a disparate amount of storm damage costs onto industry," because the surcharge is based on fuel rates as opposed to base rates,said Marone.
展开▼
