By Canadian Press

Newcomer wins election for Public Service Commission

Dec 10, 2022 | 7:37 PM

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Newcomer Davante Lewis won Saturday’s runoff for a seat on Louisiana’s Public Service Commission.

The 30-year-old Democrat and progressive policy advocate unseated Lambert Boissiere, who has held the position on the five-member commission – which regulates public utility companies and the energy sector in the state and sets electric rates, among other things – for nearly 18 years.

The multiparish election, which stretches from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, received national attention this year as major utility companies and outside political action committees poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the race. Environmentalists have become increasingly focused on the commission in a state that has a front row seat to the effects of climate change and where tens of thousands of jobs are tied to the oil and gas industry. Even Hollywood paid attention to the runoff between the two Democrats, with “Avengers” star Mark Ruffalo chiming in on social media with his support for Lewis.

Lewis noted multiple priorities of his, including expanding renewable energy, strengthening Louisiana’s vulnerable power grid and tackling the state’s ballooning electricity bills — which are largely a result of high prices for natural gas, a key fuel for utilities in Louisiana.

Fundraising became a key issue in this year’s race. Keep the Lights On, an affiliate of the Environmental Defense Fund, released attack ads against Boissiere for accepting campaign contributions from utility companies that the commission regulates, including Entergy — Louisiana’s largest power company. While these types of contributions are legal in Louisiana, they have been scrutinized over the years.

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The commission currently consists of three Republicans and two Democrats, including Lewis, in a reliably red state.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The election for Louisiana’s obscure regulatory body typically receives little attention locally, but this year has caught the eye of national media outlets, celebrities, political action committees and public utility companies.

Lambert Boissiere III, who has comfortably held a seat on Louisiana’s Public Service Commission for 18 years, faces his toughest reelection Saturday in a runoff against newcomer Davante Lewis.

Environmentalists have increasingly focused on the commission, which regulates power companies and sets electric rates, in a state that has a front row seat to the effects of climate change. Louisiana has been riddled by destructive hurricanes making landfall more frequently, coastal areas have been eaten away by erosion, subsidence and rising sea levels and, most recently, the Mississippi River reaching record low water levels.

Additionally, Louisiana shares its southern border with the Gulf of Mexico and has tens of thousands of jobs tied to the oil and gas industry. In 2021, Louisiana ranked third among the top natural gas-producing states — accounting for nearly 10% of the United States’ natural gas production that year, behind only Texas and Pennsylvania.

For years, the commission has resisted calls to mandate that power companies get a certain share of their power from renewables, The Advocate reported. But activists are hopeful their stance will change.

The winner of the election will serve a six-year term representing a district that stretches from Baton Rouge to New Orleans on the five-member commission, which has regulatory jurisdiction over public utilities providing electric, water, wastewater, natural gas and certain telecommunications services in Louisiana.

Boissiere, 57, was first elected in 2005 and hopes to secure a fourth term. Lewis, a 30-year-old progressive policy advocate, says it is time for a “new generation of leaders.”

Both candidates are Democrats with corresponding priorities — including expanding Louisiana’s renewable energy. However, no matter the outcome of the runoff, Republicans will still represent a majority on the commission, 3-2.

Despite Lewis and Boissiere having similar views, major utility companies and outside political action committees have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the race.

Keep the Lights On, an affiliate of the Environmental Defense Fund, has spent money in the hopes of unseating Boissiere. In addition, the incumbent received campaign contributions from utility companies that the commission regulates, including Entergy, Louisiana’s largest power company. While these types of contributions are legal in Louisiana, it has been heavily scrutinized.

In November’s primary, when there were five candidates, Boissiere received 43% of the vote — falling short of topping the 50% threshold needed to win outright. Lewis recieved 18%.

Louisiana’s election polls are open Saturday from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Sara Cline, The Associated Press