CLECO -- HAVE CUSTOMERS WONDERING THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE. NEWS TEN'S DAWSON DAMICO SPOKE WITH A CLECO REPRESENTATIVE AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO FIND OUT WHY. "DAWSON: "LOUISIANA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER MIKE FRANCIS SAYS THE CLECO RATE INCREASES BEGINNING SOON IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE IMPACT OF INFLATION."" "MIKE FRANCIS: "BECAUSE OF INFLATION, WE'RE FACED WITH HAVING TO INCREASE THE PRICES ON UTILITIES ALL OVER OUR STATE OF LOUISIANA. IT'S JUST A FACT OF LIFE TODAY.."" (((á THE LOUISIANA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION RECENTLY APPROVED CLECO'S NEW RATE PLAN EFFECTIVE ON JULY FIRST. A BILL CREDIT WILL BE APPLIED TO CUSTOMER BILLS FOR THE MONTHS OF JULY AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS. "VOICE OF JENNIFER CAHILL: "RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS USING 1000 KILOWATT HOURS OR SEE AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $13 A MONTH UNDER THE NEW RATE PLAN. BUT FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, CUSTOMERS WILL RECEIVE AN OFFSETTING BILL CREDIT OF ABOUT $8. SO THAT MEANS THAT CUSTOMERS WILL SEE ABOUT A $5 INCREASE DURING THE HOTTEST SUMMER MONTHS WHEN ENERGY USAGE IS HIGHEST.."" COMMISSIONER FRANCIS SAYS THEY ARE AWARE THE INCREASE IS AN ISSUE FOR THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS.... BUT IT IS NECESSARY FOR CLECO TO CONTINUE THEIR SERVICE. "MIKE FRANCIS: "IF YOU WANT RELIABLE ELECTRICITY, YOU DON'T WANT CLECO GOING BANKRUPT, WHICH IS IF WE DON'T GIVE THEM, GIVE THEM A RATE INCREASE THOSE THAT'S A CHANCE THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN..""."" "DAWSON: "FRANCIS SAYS CLECO IS TAKING IN EXTRA EFFORTS TO WORK WITH CUSTOMERS STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR ELECTRIC BILLS, AND HE SUGGESTS ANYONE IN NEED OF HELP TO PLEASE REACH OUT TO THEM. DAWSON DAMICO. KLFY NEWS TEN..".""