The race for two open seats on Louisiana’s Public Service Commission will be narrowed down Saturday — primary day in the Bayou State.
In all, nine candidates — seven Republicans and two Democrats — are seeking spots on the November ballot to represent north Louisiana and the New Orleans suburbs on the five-member commission. The contestants include two GOP state lawmakers and a former president of the state’s second-largest parish.
The election comes at an inflection point for Louisiana. At least three hyperscale data center campuses have been announced in the past 18 months — projects that are driving an unprecedented proposal for new gas-fired power plants to supply them with electricity at a cost exceeding $20 billion.
While the gas plants will be voted on before newly elected regulators begin new six-year terms, the next PSC will be tasked with ensuring that New Orleans-based Entergy lives up to commitments to shield its existing customers from costs of serving the data centers.
