Beverly Trahan was born in Oceanside, California and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She is a graduate of McKinley Senior High School and Southern University. She earned a degree in Electrical Engineering. She has done additional work toward a Masters in Mathematics and Finance.

She has been employed with Entergy/Gulf States Utilities for twenty-seven years. She has worked in transmission and distribution, marketing and customer service. She currently holds the position of External Affairs Manager for Entergy Louisiana.

Beverly is actively involved in-groups and programs that provide educational opportunities for children and that address issues in the community. Including involvement in the Baton Rouge District PTA, the Mayor's Town Meeting Committee, and The Testbusters Tutoring and Mentoring program. She is married and the mother of three.

Presentation Topic : Public Benefit Funds and the Environment--Experiences in Texas and Opportunities in Louisiana

By: Todd Dunkleberger, Customer Relations Manager, Energy Gulf States Inc.
Beverly Trahan, External Affairs Manager for Louisiana, Energy Gulf States Inc.

In May 1999, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 7, designed to restructure the State's electric utility industry. SB7 also established a goal for energy efficiency -- by January 1, 2004, each utility must administer energy efficiency programs to achieve a demand reduction equal to at least a 10% of the utility's annual growth. Texas investor-owned utilities have developed an innovative and comprehensive portfolio of Public Benefit Fund, Standard Offer, and Market Transformation programs to cost-effectively achieve demand reduction goals and meet the energy efficiency needs of all customer classes.

Louisiana has successfully established a Public Benefit Fund and is currently working to secure its funding source. The Louisiana workshop will focus on how we plan to use this fund by implementing energy efficient programs for residential and business customers, as well as environmental measures.

List of Speakers