In short: New Iberia has about 26,800 people and sits in Iberia County. Entergy Louisiana LLC, Cleco Power LLC and Southwest Louisiana E M C serves different parts of Iberia County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 11.05¢ to 12.33¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Iberia County hurricanes “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,360 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is good for solar.
This page covers what is local to New Iberia: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Louisiana energy guide and the wider area is covered in the Lafayette guide.
New Iberia at a glance
- Place: New Iberia, Iberia County, Louisiana; about 26,849 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Entergy Louisiana LLC (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 11.05¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 213 minutes of power on normal days and 610 counting major storms, with 1.6 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just New Iberia).
- Utility: Cleco Power LLC (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 12.33¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 142 minutes of power on normal days and 730 counting major storms, with 1.7 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just New Iberia).
- Utility: Southwest Louisiana E M C (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 11.55¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 167 minutes of power on normal days and 985 counting major storms, with 2.1 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just New Iberia).
- Sun: 4.67 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 2.61 in December to 6.21 in May (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,360 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 2,860 cooling degree-days and 1,430 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so air conditioning is the big load.
- Top hazards in Iberia County: hurricanes “relatively high”, lightning “relatively high” and drought “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively moderate”).
Your utility and what it means
Entergy Louisiana LLC is an investor-owned utility and served about 957,522 home customers in 2024; its 11.05¢ average was below the 12.72¢ statewide average for July 2026. Cleco Power LLC is an investor-owned utility and served about 251,927 home customers in 2024; its 12.33¢ average was close to the 12.72¢ statewide average for July 2026. Southwest Louisiana E M C is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 108,368 home customers in 2024; its 11.55¢ average was below the 12.72¢ statewide average for July 2026. Those are utility-wide averages, not a quote for your address; your own bill is the real number.
For reliability, Entergy Louisiana LLC reported 213 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, more than the statewide figure of 206 (EIA-861). Utility-wide numbers hide a lot: a home at the end of a long rural line usually has more outages than the average.
Net metering, export rates and incentives are set at state level and by each utility. Start with the Louisiana guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in New Iberia
- Hurricanes (relatively high): Hurricanes can mean a week without power. A standby generator on natural gas or propane, or a battery with solar, beats a stack of gas cans; check flood height before you site equipment.
- Lightning (relatively high): Lightning causes short outages and damages electronics. Surge protection and a battery that switches over automatically protect the things you care about.
- Cooling load: an outage in New Iberia summer means no air conditioning. A central unit is a big load; a large battery system or standby generator can run it, while a smaller setup keeps fans, a window unit or a mini-split going.
- Short outages: a portable power station covers phones, Wi-Fi, a CPAP and lights; a home battery switches over automatically.
Size your setup with the generator sizing tool and the battery backup calculator, and compare options in backup power. Generator safety (CPSC): outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors and windows, never in a garage, and battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms inside. A licensed electrician should install any transfer switch, with a permit; see generator installation.
Solar in New Iberia
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,360 kWh a year in New Iberia (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Entergy Louisiana LLC’s 2024 average of 11.05¢, that is about $150 a year per kW if all of it offsets your own use (an estimate, not a promise). Production swings with the seasons: May is the sunniest month at 6.21 and December the dimmest at 2.61, a 2.4-to-1 gap.
Check your own roof with the solar potential tool, see solar costs and net metering vs net billing, and read the steps in solar installation. Hail and storm exposure are worth raising with installers and your insurer.
Batteries and EV charging
A home battery earns its place when outages are frequent, when your utility pays little for exported solar, or when evening prices are high; compare in home batteries and battery costs. The federal station list shows few or no public chargers listed under New Iberia, so a home charger matters more here: see the EV charging cost calculator and EV charger installation.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in New Iberia: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
Solar, generator transfer switches and EV chargers normally need an electrical permit from the New Iberia building or permitting department, or from Iberia County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for New Iberia, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Louisiana guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Lafayette energy guide and Youngsville, or the whole Louisiana energy guide.
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New Iberia energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in New Iberia?
Entergy Louisiana LLC, Cleco Power LLC and Southwest Louisiana E M C all serve parts of Iberia County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Entergy Louisiana LLC 11.05¢, Cleco Power LLC 12.33¢, Southwest Louisiana E M C 11.55¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in New Iberia?
About 1,360 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 8,160 kWh. Shade, roof direction and tilt change this; run your address through the solar potential tool for a better number.
Is a generator or a battery better for hurricanes in Iberia County?
It depends how long the outage lasts. A battery is quiet, automatic and good for short outages and for pairing with solar; a standby generator keeps going as long as it has fuel, which suits multi-day events. Many homes use a battery for everyday outages and add a generator for the rare long one.
Can solar and a battery run my air conditioner during an outage?
Yes if the system is sized for it. A central air conditioner needs a large battery or generator, so many people back up one room or a mini-split instead. Use the battery backup calculator to see the runtime for your appliances.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in New Iberia?
Almost always an electrical permit for a transfer switch, solar or an EV charger, issued by the city or county where you live. Your licensed electrician or installer normally pulls it. Never connect a generator to your house wiring without a transfer switch.
Sources: EIA Form 861 (2024) for utility prices and outages; NASA POWER climatology (2001 to 2025) for sun and degree-days; FEMA National Risk Index for county hazards; AFDC station locator for public charging; Census Bureau for population. Estimates are ours and are not promises; see our editorial policy. Prices and programs change, so check each program page.