Quick answer
Entergy New Orleans customers have had Energy Smart rebates of up to $500 on qualifying ENERGY STAR central AC and heat pumps, up to $500 when a mini-split heat pump replaces strip heat, about $150 to $200 off a qualifying tune-up and up to $100 on smart thermostats. Entergy Louisiana has offered up to $500 per heat pump. Terms change, so check before you buy.
Entergy New Orleans: Energy Smart
Energy Smart is the efficiency program for Entergy New Orleans customers. It has offered rebates of up to $500 on qualifying ENERGY STAR central air conditioners and heat pumps, an instant discount of about $150 to $200 on a qualifying AC tune-up, rebates of up to $100 on smart thermostats, and up to $500 when an ENERGY STAR mini-split heat pump replaces electric strip heat.
Some of these incentives require the work to be done by a participating trade ally, and equipment must meet the program's efficiency requirements. Check the current program terms and contractor list before you book the work.
Entergy Louisiana
Customers on Entergy Louisiana service have had incentives of up to $500 per heat pump and $150 for an AC tune-up, also through participating trade allies. Many homes in the suburbs around New Orleans are served by Entergy Louisiana rather than Entergy New Orleans, so check your bill to see which program applies to you.
North shore utilities
Across the lake, programs differ. Tammany Electric does not offer a heat pump rebate program, so for its customers a heat pump decision rests on equipment price and running costs alone. Check with your own utility for any programs it runs.
How to make sure you qualify
- Confirm which utility serves your home from your bill
- Read the current program terms before you buy anything
- Check whether a participating trade ally must do the work
- Make sure the equipment is ENERGY STAR certified where required
- Keep the model and serial numbers and the matched-system certificate
- Keep the invoice and any program forms until the rebate is paid
Matched systems matter: a new outdoor unit paired with the wrong indoor coil may not carry the rating the program requires.
Rebates in a repair-or-replace decision
A rebate does not change whether a system needs replacing, but it can tip a close call. If your system is old and facing a big repair, take the rebate off the replacement price before you compare. Our guide to repairing or replacing an AC walks through the math.
Do not overlook the small ones
The tune-up and thermostat incentives are easy to miss because they are small, but they cut the cost of the two things that most often prevent breakdowns and wasted energy: yearly service, and a thermostat set up properly for the system. If you are in a program that offers them, they are worth using every year.
Sources
Figures in this guide come from these sources. Programs and prices change, so check current terms.
About this guide. Ward Teague writes the HVAC guides for Byron Vegas. Each guide starts from questions people ask when they call, and the figures in it come from the sources listed at the end of the article. More about the writer.