A PLAN TO LOWER COSTS FOR LOUISIANA FAMILIES & HOLD UTILITES ACCOUNTABLE

As a consultant to the LPSC, Chris worked to advance policies that would lower costs for Louisiana families and businesses. During that time, he uncovered approximately $12.8 million per year in unnecessary charges being passed on to ratepayers for energy that was never actually delivered. He urged the Commission to change its rules and eliminate this waste. The Commission declined to act.

After seeing firsthand how rising utility bills continued to burden families while monopoly utilities earned guaranteed profits, Chris decided he could no longer stand on the sidelines. Louisiana needs a regulator with the technical expertise, real-world experience, and independence to stand up to powerful interests and deliver results.

When elected, Chris will advance three key reforms to level the playing field and bring families reliable electricity at a fair cost: require utilities to fix the grid before raising rates, ensure data centers pay 100% of the infrastructure they require, and end the pay-to-play practice of utilities funding the commissioners who regulate them.

Investor-owned utilities charge customers every month for grid maintenance, but the Public Service Commission does not require them to spend all of that money on maintenance. Whatever they don’t spend becomes profit. There’s no automatic audit, no refund, and no guarantee the work was completed. When the grid fails during storms, families are forced to pay again for repairs that should have been done in the first place.

Monopoly utilities must commit to fixing what we’ve already paid for before asking for more money. No more blank checks. No more pocketing maintenance funds. We are already paying to fix our grid, utilities need to do their jobs.

Massive data centers are coming to Louisiana. We welcome the industry and the jobs it brings but not at the expense of everyday Louisianans. In December, the LPSC fast-tracked a deal that requires ratepayers to cover more than 50% of the costs for new data center infrastructure. Billion-dollar corporations collect the profits while families shoulder the risk.

Chris will require data centers to pay their own way; covering 100% of the costs for electricity, water, and the infrastructure they require. No more free rides on the backs of Louisiana families.

Utilities are using ratepayer-backed profits to fund the campaigns of my opponents. For a company earning billions each year, spending a few hundred thousand dollars to elect a regulator who won’t challenge their policies is simply the cost of doing business.

Monopoly utilities should not be allowed to bankroll the campaigns of the very officials who regulate them. Chris will not accept contributions from utility companies.  His campaign will monitor and publicly report utility donations throughout this election cycle to ensure transparency and expose any attempt to buy influence at the Commission.

Louisiana families are fed up. We’re tired of a grid that fails when we need it most. We’re tired of backroom deals that leave ratepayers holding the bill. And we’re tired of a system where political money carries more weight than the people it’s supposed to protect.

These problems are not going away, and they may get worse. A 2025 analysis projected that base electricity rates for customers could rise by as much as 90% between 2018 and 2030 if current policies and spending trends continue. That’s not sustainable for Louisiana families or small businesses. We need real accountability and a Commissioner who is willing to challenge the status quo. It’s time to elect an Independent who puts ratepayers first. Chris Justin will do exactly that.