Jackson Free Press

After a year of investigation and outcry, Entergy is asking the Mississippi Public Service Commission to approve another 14 percent drop in its fuel adjustment starting Jan. 1. This new drop in cost reflects a total drop in price by slightly more than 30 percent since July, and marks a stark contrast to the company's request to hike costs by 28 percent over the summer.

The company asked for a summer fuel hike in response to rising natural gas prices, which resulted in customer costs jumping an average of $30 and promptly sparked an investigation into the energy company's fuel adjustment practice and a subsequent investigation by the office of Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood.

Hood said recent suits in neighboring Louisiana suggested that Entergy could be buying fuel at artificially inflated prices. Hood subpoenaed information from Entergy supporting his suspicion, but Entergy attempted to block the investigation, only to have their motion rejected by U.S. District Judge William Barbour. The Public Service Commission later demanded Entergy surrender the information to Hood for good measure.

Hood told the Jackson Free Press that Entergy's generosity was not likely to derail his investigation.