The New Orleans City Council unanimously approved the Neighborhood Power Plan - a $30 million proposal by Together New Orleans (TNO) and allies to strengthen the local power grid by installing solar batteries at over 1,600 homes, community facilities and businesses.
Funded with Entergy settlement dollars, the plan will not increase utility rates.
According to The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate, New Orleans Mayor Elect Helena Moreno called the endeavor "the largest single investment in community-led sustainability the city has ever made."
Over the next three years, the Neighborhood Power Plan positions New Orleans to build one of the most robust distributed energy resource programs — often called a virtual power plant — in the nation on a per capita basis. A virtual power plant is a network of distributed energy resources - like solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicle chargers - that collectively strengthen large-scale capacity to balance energy supply and demand.
The program is designed to improve reliability, reduce outages and lower costs while strengthening neighborhood back-up power during extreme weather and other grid disruptions.
“The way this program came about is remarkable,” said VPP expert Arushi Sharma Frank, who consulted with TNO as an architect of the proposal.
“This entire docket was initiated by community organizations who led the analysis and the most important filings alongside subject matter experts from around the country. It’s a rare example of communities originating and guiding a major utility reform that is open access and effectively a public good.”
The result of years of organizing, The Neighborhood Power Plan will install backup batteries tied to solar panels at about 1,500 homes and 150-250 community institutions across the city, creating the largest Virtual Power Plant in the Deep South.
Over 100 leaders with TNO erupted in applause as the Council advanced the resolution to the final stage.
“Today’s outcome proves that when residents organize around real solutions, City government can deliver,”
said Sonya Norsworthy, Board President of Together New Orleans.
City Advances 'Transformative' $28M Battery Initiative to Cut Outages and Power Bills, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate [pdf]
Council Set to Green Light $30 Million Power Resiliency Plan, Verite News [pdf]
New Orleans will use Residential Solar + Storage to Keep Larger Grid Online During Outages, Solar Power World [pdf]
New Orleans City Council to Vote on $28 Million Battery Backup Incentive Program, 4WWL [pdf] [video]
New Orleans Council Unanimously Approves $30M Neighborhoo Power Plan, Together New Orleans
New Orleans City Council Considers Plans to Reduce Outages Through Battery Grid, Fox8 [video]
Helena Moreno Announces Launch of Distributed Energy Resource Program, 'largest single investment' in the city, WGNO ABC [video]