A crowd gathered just before midnight Saturday at the Minden Historic Steam Plant to witness a power switch ceremony marking the City of Minden’s transition to a new electric power provider. The event, held at 119 Horton Street, commemorated the start of a new full requirements power contract with the Louisiana Energy and Power Authority (LEPA), which officially took effect Sunday, June 1.
Mayor Nick Cox, joined by Councilmen Buddy Myles, Michael Roy, and Andy Pendergrass, as well as LEPA General Manager Kevin Bihm, participated in the event, which included remarks, expressions of gratitude, and the ceremonial “big switch” thrown by the mayor to mark the official transfer.
“It’s a little unorthodox to have a celebration at midnight, but I just can’t stand to sleep through one of the biggest things to happen to this city in a while,” Cox said. “To be honest, I thought it would just be the five of us; I never thought it would be this many people, but it’s a testament to how important this is. It’s a big deal for the city.”
The new power agreement is expected to bring substantial savings to Minden residents, with projections ranging from 25 to 35 percent. Due to the billing schedule, residents will begin to see partial savings reflected on their July bills, with full savings visible by August.
Councilman Myles noted the significance of the event for Minden’s future.
“I’m hoping this brings huge amounts of growth to Minden,” Myles said. “This has plagued us for far too long. I’m just happy that we were able to all come together to work on this and be successful.”
Councilman Roy echoed the excitement, calling the moment “extraordinary” and looking forward to reduced utility costs for citizens.
“This is an extraordinary event for the citizens of Minden,” Roy said. “I really think this is going to be an awesome thing for the citizens of Minden and for the city as a whole. We look forward to some lower utility bills here in the near future.”
Pendergrass also acknowledged the group effort that led to the agreement.
“We believed this could happen, and it did. Thank you to everyone who believed, because it matters,” Pendergrass said. “The City of Minden is open for business, the City of Minden is open for you, the City of Minden is hoping for you. We believe our best days are ahead.”
Bihm spoke on the longstanding relationship between Minden and LEPA, which dates back to 1984.
“Minden is one of 20 member cities that LEPA has,” Bihm said. “We’ve had a long-term relationship and we are, when I say excited to have Minden back, we’re excited … to share in your excitement just like we are tonight.”
Bihm credited Cox as being instrumental in pushing the transition forward. “Mayor Nick Cox was the catalyst for all of this to happen; it couldn’t have been done without him,” Bihm said.
Cox said the council immediately prioritized addressing Minden’s high utility rates following his election, commissioning a study that confirmed the issue as the city’s most significant growth obstacle. The eventual plan, which originated from Minden’s Public Works Department, was adopted after considerable research, negotiation, and assistance from various stakeholders across Louisiana and beyond.
“We had a study done the first year we were in office, and it told us what we already knew. Our number one hurdle was the utility costs,” Cox said. “We were already working on it, we had already enlisted help. A lot of people told us it couldn’t be done.”
Cox quoted a line from the Pearl Harbor film in reference to overcoming challenges: “Don’t tell me it can’t be done.” He also credited the Public Works Department, particularly Gary Moreland, for devising the transition plan.
“God has blessed the City of Minden, and God will continue to bless the City of Minden,” Cox said.
Minden becomes the 13th full requirements member of LEPA. The agreement, which was approved unanimously by the Minden City Council in February, followed the expiration of the city’s previous 15-year utility contract. State law prohibits municipalities from entering utility contracts longer than 15 years, prompting the need for a new provider.
The switch is expected to reduce electricity costs and support economic growth in Minden, officials said.
LEPA, based in Lafayette, was established in 1979 as a joint-action agency by the Louisiana Legislature to help member communities secure reliable, affordable power.
