Years after Together New Orleans (TNO) began organizing for Community Solar, New Orleans City Council voted unanimously to support consolidated billing.

The change means savings will appear directly on residents' Entergy bills, removing the last major policy hurdle facing TNO and the Sisters of the Holy Family Community Solar project, an initiative that will allow residents to access solar power and reduce their electricity bills without needing to install their own panels. 

"This is the final, vital component to the viability of the Community Solar program which has been eight years in the making," announced Councilmember Aimee McCarron as she endorsed the new policy. According to the Times-Picayune, the policy is expected to benefit between 6,000 and 7,800 customers.

As the 22-acre solar farm at the Sisters of the Holy Family in New Orleans East nears completion, TNO leaders are now preparing to guide the sign-up process for the program. The project is expected to begin delivering energy bill savings to participating households by the end of 2026 – making it the first functioning Community Solar project in New Orleans.

[Photo credit: Brett Duke, The Times-Picayune]

New Orleans Community Solar Customers Only Have to Pay One Bill, Council Decides, The Times-Picayune [pdf]

Photos: Inside the Sisters of the Holy Family and Together New Orleans' Community Solar Project, The Times-Picayune [pdf]

Amid Extreme Weather, Church Resilience Hubs Provide Safety, U.S. Catholic [pdf]