04/02: The Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC) issued a restructuring collaborative procedural schedule. The study groups had to submit their final information to the commission no later than October 31, 2002 because the commission planned to release its monitoring report on November 30, 2002. The report would address transition cost estimates, the definition of a large industrial customer, methods to encourage construction of capacity, and affiliate rules.

12/01: The Louisiana Public Service Commission issued two orders in regards to analysis of competitive implications. The first order dealt with cogeneration and plant construction. The second order declined to implement retail access and the recommendations of the Staff’s report. The PSC would continue to study restructuring and retail access as well as monitor its neighbors and federal restructuring legislation.

07/01: The staff of the Louisiana PSC issued its final report, Final Response of the Commission Staff to Comments on Proposed Competitive Transition Plan, to the PSC. The report recommended some changes to the transition plan issued in January including allowing open access to competitive service providers to only large industrial customers with loads averaging 5 MW or more rather than the original 2 MW load. Even though the PSC ruled two years ago that open access was not in the State's best interest, a study of the issue continued due to concerns about economic development. The report recommends another study due in 2005 to determine if competition would benefit all classes of customers. However, the PSC did not take any action on this latest report at their most recent meeting, but may take it up in its September meeting.

1/01: The PSC issued a draft restructuring plan that would allow large industrial customers retail choice starting in January 2003. Utilities would not be required to divest their generation assets needed to serve their customer demands.

4/99: The PSC issued an order setting up a schedule through August 2000 to study the issues: consumer education; stranded costs; regional planning and reliability; market power; rate unbundling; functional unbundling; independent system operators; and transition mechanisms.

3/99: The PSC issued an order stating that Commission "defers making a public interest determination until such time that a Louisiana-specific transition to competition plan has been fully developed. The Staff, outside consultants and counsel are directed to recommend a plan for implementation of retail electric generation competition for consideration by the Commission on or before January 1, 2001."

2/99: A draft report by the PSC advises not to go ahead with deregulation due to concerns that residential consumers could experience higher prices. The report also says that, however, if deregulation does go forward, it should allow large industrials to shop for power while limiting rates for small consumers. Louisiana consumers currently enjoy rates less than the national average.

1/99: Entergy Gulf States and Entergy Louisiana submitted restructuring proposals to the PSC. The PSC Chairman expects the PSC to rule that restructuring is in the best interest of the State, but expects Louisiana to take a slow approach to retail access.

8/98: The PSC conducted hearings on stranded costs. Participants included Central Louisiana Electric Company, Enron, and Gulf State Utilities.

5/95: The PSC opened Docket U-21453 on whether electric industry restructuring is in the public interest.