Letters: Camp owners would do better to rely on solar rather than bemoan power grid

In the recent article about ongoing power issues affecting remote camps and rural properties, much of the blame was directed toward the power company. While it may be easy to point fingers at the utility provider, that perspective overlooks a more practical and forward-looking solution that rests with the camp owners themselves.

These camps are, by their very nature, located in remote and often difficult-to-service areas. Maintaining and extending reliable grid infrastructure into such locations is costly, inefficient and highly vulnerable to weather and environmental disruptions. Expecting consistent, high-quality service under those conditions ignores both economic and logistical realities.

What makes far more sense is for camp owners to take advantage of modern energy alternatives — specifically solar power. Remote camps are, in fact, an ideal use case for solar energy systems. With abundant sunlight in our region and significant advancements in battery storage technology, solar setups can provide dependable, independent power without relying on miles of fragile transmission lines.

Rather than continuing to depend on a system that was never designed for these conditions, camp owners should consider investing in self-sufficient energy solutions. Not only would this reduce strain on the existing grid, but it would also provide greater reliability and long-term cost savings for the owners themselves.

In short, this is less a failure of the power company and more a reluctance to adapt to solutions that are already well within reach. It’s time to shift the conversation from blame to responsibility — and from outdated expectations to modern solutions.

MIKE NORTON

Metairie