Natchitoches City Council considers new flexibility for utility rate adjustments
NATCHITOCHES, La. — The Natchitoches City Council introduced a proposal during its meeting on Monday that would eliminate mandatory annual utility rate hikes, a move aimed at gaining more control over local utility costs.
Natchitoches City Council meeting on Tuesday night. (Natchitoches Parish Journal)
NATCHITOCHES, La. — The Natchitoches City Council introduced a proposal during its meeting on Monday that would eliminate mandatory annual utility rate hikes, a move aimed at gaining more control over local utility costs.
Council members voted 5-0 to introduce Ordinance No. 24, which seeks to amend the city’s utility rate adjustment process.
Currently, the city is required to adjust electric rates annually based on the Consumer Price Index.
The proposed change would alter that language to allow for increases that "do not exceed" the CPI, rather than making them mandatory.
Supporters said the new language gives the city flexibility to approve lower increases or avoid them entirely if budget conditions allow.
During the meeting, the council expanded the scope of the ordinance by amending it to include water and sewer base rates under the same inflation-based cap.
Officials clarified that the measure only applies to base rates and does not impact variable charges related to fuel and power purchase costs billed to the city by the Louisiana Energy Power Authority.