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Darren delivered the following remarks at the White House:

Thank you, Mr. President, I appreciate the invitation and the opportunity for the entire industry to show up and provide perspective.

Frankly, we’ve been kind of unresponsive to the press regarding Venezuela. I guess today’s the opportunity to address the press directly with respect to a number of questions that have been asked of ExxonMobil. First and foremost, obviously, is the interest that we have in Venezuela. I think one of the reasons why we see many industry players here is we’re in a depletion business for a product that is in great demand and will be in demand for many, many, many decades to come.

And as a depletion business, the biggest challenge we have is finding resources. There’s an opportunity in Venezuela with all the resources there. We don’t have that challenge of finding; we have the challenge of developing those resources. So I think it’s in the best interest of these companies and, frankly, society as a whole for the industry to be interested in understanding what the opportunity here represents.

I’ll just share a philosophy that ExxonMobil has when we enter countries—because we do business all around the world, in a number of different regimes—we take a very long‑term perspective. The investments that we make span decades and decades. So, we do not go into any opportunity with a short-term mindset.

There’s a value proposition that we have to meet. It has to be a win‑win‑win proposition. Obviously, it has to be a win for the company and our shareholders, generating a return for the investments that we make. It has to be a win for the government. The resources are an important source of revenue that help support the people of the places that we do business. And it has to be a win for the people. We have to be wanted there— and to be a good neighbor. And those three things ensure a stable, long‑term platform for the large investments that we make for the long term.

With respect to Venezuela in particular, we have a very long history in Venezuela. In fact, we first got into Venezuela back in the 1940s. We’ve had our assets seized there twice. And so, you can imagine to re‑enter a third time would require some pretty significant changes from what we’ve historically seen here and what is currently the state.

If we look at the legal and commercial constructs—frameworks—in place today in Venezuela, today it’s uninvestable. And so significant changes have to be made to those commercial frameworks, the legal system, there has to be durable investment protections, and there has to be a change to the hydrocarbon laws in the country.

We’re confident that with this Administration and President Trump working hand‑in‑hand with the Venezuelan government that those changes can be put in place. And with respect to the Venezuelan government—that perspective—we don’t have a view on. We haven’t talked to the Venezuelan government, and obviously we have yet to assess the people’s perspective with respect to ExxonMobil entering the country.

In the short term, there are things that can be done while these longer‑term issues are being worked. For us, we haven’t been in the country for almost 20 years. We think it’s absolutely critical in the short term that we get a technical team in place to assess the current state of the industry and the assets to understand what would be involved to help the people of Venezuela get production back on the market.

With the invitation of the Venezuelan government and with appropriate security guarantees, we are ready to put a team on the ground there. We also have an integrated set of capabilities—from production to refining to trading—and I think we can be of assistance to getting Venezuelan crude to market and realizing market price to help again with the financial situation in Venezuela.

So that’s the short‑term perspective that I have. Thank you, Mr. President, for the work that you’ve done to secure not only the national security, but the energy security of the region. And thank you Secretary Rubio, Secretary Wright, Secretary Burgum, for your leadership in this matter. Thank you.

JACKSON, Mississippi – As winter brings bouts of colder temperatures, customers will begin using their heating systems more and this could lead to an increase in electricity usage. However, staying warm and comfortable does not have to come at the cost of high electric bills. By making a few simple changes around your home, you can improve its energy efficiency and keep costs down throughout the colder months.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, home heating and cooling costs can make up more than 52% of an average customer’s electric bill. In some cases, poor insulation, air leaks and inefficient HVAC systems can lead to even greater energy costs each year. To keep your home warm without significantly raising the thermostat and save money on your bill at the same time, try these low-to-no-costs tips.

Improving energy efficiency with low-to-no-cost tips

• Use solar energy: Open curtains on the south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat the home and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.
• Insulate drafty windows: Use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of window frames and make sure the plastic is sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration.
• Adjust the thermostat: When you are home and awake, set the thermostat as low as is comfortable, but when you are asleep or out of the house, turn the thermostat back to save on your heating and cooling bills.
• Find and seal leaks: Seal air leaks around utility cut-throughs for pipes and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.
• Maintain heating systems: Schedule routine service for home heating systems and replace furnace and heat pump filters once a month or as needed.
• Reduce heat loss from the fireplace: Keep the fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning and check the seal on the fireplace flue damper and make it as snug as possible.

By following these simple steps, you can stay warm and comfortable all winter long while keeping your bills under control. We also offer free comprehensive residential energy audits and rebates to help reduce the upfront cost of installing energy-efficient equipment.

Exploring resources through Bill Toolkit

To make sure customers have quick access to energy efficiency, bill management and financial assistance resources, Entergy created an online platform called Bill Toolkit. The platform consolidates helpful resources for customers interested in exploring ways to lower their electric use and costs and learn more about different payment options the company offers. It also provides information on our energy efficiency programs and incentives and rebates associated with these programs.

Tracking energy use through myAdvisor

Entergy customers can set electric usage alerts and monitor how much energy they use each day through bill management tools like myAdvisor, which is available through their myEntergy account online. Tracking usage over time can help customers identify trends that contribute to higher usage and budget their monthly expenses. With the myAdvisor dashboard, customers have access to not only usage and cost details, but also bill history and projections, analyzer tools and more. On the Entergy mobile app this information can be found by tapping the “usage” tab.

Managing bills through payment and assistance options

Entergy offers several flexible payment options so customers can choose when, where and how they receive their bills.

• Pick-A-Date allows customers to pay their bills when it works best for them.
• Level Billing allows customers to “level out” seasonal energy use fluctuations, making their bills more consistent every month.
• PaperFREE billing allows customers to get their bills emailed as soon as they post and instant access to two years of billing history.
• AutoPay allows customers to avoid late fees, writing checks and paying for postage by having bills automatically deduct from their bank accounts.

We also offer flexible payment options such as deferred payment arrangements or payment extensions. Customers can find out if they qualify for these options through our mobile app or myEntergy online.

About Entergy Mississippi

Entergy Mississippi provides electricity to approximately 459,000 customers in 45 counties. Entergy Mississippi is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy produces, transmits and distributes electricity to power life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing for growth and improved reliability and resilience of our energy system while working to keep energy rates affordable for our customers. We’re also investing in cleaner energy generation like modern natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy. A nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship, we deliver more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to the communities we serve through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at EntergyMississippi.com and connect with @EntergyMS on social media.

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