After months of complaints from residents about skyrocketing rates, Louisiana-based natural gas provider Delta Utilities appeared before the New Orleans City Council Tuesday to answer questions about its billing structure. Delta Utilities, owned by private equity firm Barnhard Capital Partners, took over as the primary natural gas supplier to the city — and most of Louisiana — after purchasing it from Entergy last July.
In the utility company’s first winter as the primary natural gas provider, customers have reported receiving much higher heating bills – sometimes triple their normal rates. In Louisiana, natural gas is most often used for heating homes and cooking.
“I’ve been to meetings, and I’ve been on the phone with so many [Delta] representatives, and nothing has been consistent,” said one resident, who told company executives her gas bill increased from $30 to nearly $200 in three months…