ST. MARTINVILLE — District 5 residents learned that the city is working on bringing lower utility rates to customers, even mulling over a study of solar energy.

Mayor Thomas Nelson informed a group of about 30 people assembled at Adam Carlson Park recently that money could soon be available for a study on solar power.

The district’s residents attended the informational session sponsored by District 5 Councilman Arthur Champ. Champ said the event was a way to keep city residents informed about city issues.

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Nelson declined to offer the name of the funding source for the study, but said the study is a way to determine if solar power could help cut costs for the customers.

“This is one of our greatest problems. I fault no one. I heard a lot of talk about our past administration. But I have to tell you, when they signed that contract (for Cleco to supply electricity to the city), natural gas was $1 per thousand (cubic feet). Our electricity at Cleco was being generated through natural gas. Now natural gas is from $7, $8, $9 a thousand cubic feet,” Nelson said.

“In the contract it stated that in the event it would cost them more money to generate the electricity, they would pass it on to the consumer. We’re looking at it as a fuel adjustment.”

The city has until June 30 to notify Cleco as to whether it will renew the contract. Nelson said until that time, he’s been working on another option: solar energy.

“I’ve met with an individual who has a source right now of $35,000. They are going to make $35,000 to $40,000 to have UL (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) do a study on the solar system. I brought that idea up because with solar, you can produce electricity for nothing,” he said.

Nelson said the city would not rely on solar power 100 percent, but just a portion. A substation complete with solar panels would be built near the graveyard in the city.

Champ said the council doesn’t have much information on the idea, but he believes it be worth looking into.

“Solar energy would cut electricity costs in half. We would be the first small city in Louisiana that would be operated under solar energy,” Champ said.

“I think it’s a good idea. Anything to help the citizens, I’m for it.”

“If they say it’s feasible for us to do it, we don’t have the revenues. I’m going to Washington on the second to meet with our legislative delegation to see if we can get them to fund this as an alternate source of energy,” he said.

Nelson referred to President George W. Bush’s State of the Union address, where he discussed alternative energy sources.

“This is something we want to try. If we can do this as a pilot program and get Washington to fund it, and not cost the city a nickel, it may be possible, and I’m not making a promise, to lower our electricity. If that happens, it will help St. Martinville quite a bit,” Nelson said.

Nelson said he believes that if the electrical rates go down, it will encourage more businesses to open in the city, creating a better economic picture by bringing more tax dollars in.