Why These Louisianans Are Still Struggling to Rebuild After Hurricane Ida

TL;DR

Bayou fishing camp owners in Raceland, Louisiana lost power after Hurricane Ida when their utility abandoned the lines rather than repair them.

Key Points

• 1.Sleeka co-op abandoned power lines instead of repairing them post-Ida. After Hurricane Ida, the local utility filed for abandonment of all power lines serving bayou fishing camps — a move that has rarely occurred in US history — citing costs to other customers.
• 2.Owner Brent Story's $165,000 camp is now worth under $40,000. Without electricity for nearly 5 years, owners cannot use their properties meaningfully; Story only visits to cut grass and runs a generator while waiting for a resolution.
• 3.The state ruled roughly half the affected owners won't get power restored, prompting lawsuits. The matter has been sent back to an administrative law judge, and the case mirrors broader national questions about who bears rebuilding costs after disasters in California and North Carolina.