A $23.6 million neighborhood battery initiative approved by the City Council could bring backup power to about 800 homes and more than 200 businesses, per the New Orleans City Council.
The plan reserves 40% of its upfront funding for low- and moderate-income households.
The unanimous City Council vote makes battery storage central to how New Orleans plans to prepare for power outages, heat waves, and periods of heavy grid strain.
Here's what to know
Climate Change & Sustainability Committee Chair and District A Councilmember Aimee McCarron introduced Resolution R-26-421, and the Council approved it unanimously.
City officials noted that the incentive package is meant to work with Community Solar incentives as part of a microgrid effort called the Neighborhood Power Plan.
Council Vice President Matthew Willard described it as "the largest per-capita investment in distributed battery storage in the nation."
"I am so proud to author this transformative legislation, which will provide relief when the lights go out from storms, during heat waves, or when the grid is strained," McCarron said.
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More background
The New Orleans City Council will pay the participation incentives with proceeds from a settlement involving Entergy New Orleans.
The batteries are intended to play two roles. They can keep power flowing to participating homes during outages while the larger system is repaired, and they can also be coordinated during times of grid stress to curb demand and supply capacity where it is most needed.
District B Councilmember Lesli Harris emphasized what is at stake.
"When the grid goes down in August, it isn't an inconvenience. It's a public health emergency, especially for our seniors and neighbors who rely on medical equipment," she began.
"The Neighborhood Power Plan gives families a lifeline during outages and helps keep the whole grid stable when demand peaks. It's a smart and practical investment."
For households that want a smaller backup option, Pila is another company offering flexible, affordable systems. Its plug-and-play batteries cost a fraction of a whole-home backup system.
What's being done?
Rather than operating as isolated systems, the city's plan would place batteries at homes and businesses throughout New Orleans and connect them into a larger virtual power plant.
"This incentive package, paired with community solar, creates the nation's most expansive virtual power plant. This is a new solution to these chronic problems, that is for the people and by the people," McCarron observed.
City leaders stressed that the benefits were intended to reach low- and moderate-income households.
"When the power goes out, families and businesses should not be left waiting for hours or days for relief," said Council President Jean-Paul "JP" Morrell.
"By putting battery storage directly in our neighborhoods, we are giving people another layer of protection while strengthening our entire electrical grid," he continued.
"As Utilities Chair, I'm especially proud that the Neighborhood Power Plan dedicates 40% of its upfront funding to low- and moderate-income households, helping make sure the communities that need this investment most can benefit from it."
The New Orleans City Council developed the Neighborhood Power Plan in partnership with Together New Orleans, Alliance for Affordable Energy, and others.
"Our responsibility now is to make sure this program reaches the people it was designed to serve and delivers real results for New Orleanians," Willard stated.
Where can I learn more?
New Orleans' plan is part of a broader push to use home batteries as neighborhood resilience tools. The articles below look at how the city and other entities are funding batteries and using them to steady the grid.
• New Orleans residents have tapped upfront incentives for residents to add home battery backups.
• As hurricane outages drag on, New Orleans homeowners are choosing solar batteries over generators.
• Companies like SunPower and Palmetto are removing upfront cost barriers to home backup batteries.
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