Insights > 9.21.19 PM Update - Tropical Storm Imelda

9.21.19 PM Update - Tropical Storm Imelda

By: Texas Editorial Team

09/21/2019

Entergy Texas has restored service to nearly all 40,000 customers that lost power during Tropical Storm Imelda. However, approximately 67 customers in Beaumont and 193 in Port Arthur remain without power, but are expected to be restored by 8pm tonight. In the Winnie and Anahuac areas, approximately 673 customers remain without power. In these areas, customers that are accessible and able to take power are expected to be restored by noon Sunday.  Any customer who still has not received their power please follow your outage timeline on view outages map. 

Thank you for your patience as our team safely restored power and thank you for being a valued Entergy Texas customer.

For customers in areas that have been significantly impacted by flood waters, Entergy will inspect meters, then repair and replace them as necessary. Customers may need to make repairs to property and obtain inspections before Entergy is able to safely restore power to these locations.

Safety considerations after a flood:

1. Did the water level rise above your electrical outlets but stop below the electric meter?
   1. If you are present when Entergy workers arrive:
      1. Entergy will advise you to turn off your main breaker and have repairs made. You will then need to turn your main breaker back on.  
      2. For your safety, Entergy suggests a qualified electrician inspect electrical equipment inside of the facility or home, even if your city or county does not require inspection. If the breaker is turned on before such inspections, you may cause personal injury or property damage.
   2. If you are not present when we arrive:
      1. Entergy will disconnect the electric meter, but it will remain in place. You will not have power at this point.
      2. For your safety, Entergy suggests that a qualified electrician inspect electrical equipment inside of the facility or home.
      3. When repairs are made, call us at 1-800-368-3749 to request a reconnect. We will restore service to the facility.
2. For customers with property damage:
   1. If your property has any water damage, please turn off the electricity at either the main fuse box or circuit breaker.
   2. Call a licensed electrician for advice when necessary.
   3. Do not step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker.
   4. A licensed electrician may need to inspect your property’s electric wiring before we can restore power to a home or business that has water damage from rain or floodwaters.
3. For customers without property damage:
   1. Property owners without storm damage should still be cautious.
   2. Look for electrical system damage after power is restored. If you see sparks, broken or frayed wires, or the smell of hot insulation is noticeable, turn off the electricity at either the main fuse box or circuit breaker.

As with any weather event, please be mindful of the following safety tips:

1.     Live wires can be deadly. Stay away from downed power lines. Call 1 800 9OUTAGE or 1 800 968 8243 to report downed or dangling power lines, poles or other damaged equipment.

2.     Do not trim trees or remove debris on or near downed power lines. Only power company crews or their contractors should remove trees or limbs touching power lines.

3.     Keep away from the immediate areas where crews are working. There is always the danger of moving equipment and the possibility of construction materials or limbs or overhead wires falling to the ground.

4.     If you plan on using a generator for temporary power, get a licensed electrician and disconnect from the utility electric system before hooking up to your home main electric panel.

5.     Do not run a generator in a confined space without adequate ventilation.

6.     Avoid using candles or other flammable devices to warm your home.

7.     Try to stay off the roads. More traffic in bad weather leads to more accidents, including more injuries and fatalities as well as accidents that can damage electrical poles and other equipment, creating outages and impeding the ability of crews to access and repair damage and slowing restoration.

We want to keep you informed and in control so here is the best way to get information about outages in addition to the View Outage application:

1.     Download our app for your smartphone at entergy.com/app or visit entergystormcenter.com to stay informed on our restoration progress.

2.     Sign up for text alerts.  From your cell phone, text REG to 368374 or visit entergytext.com.

3.     Follow us on Twitter.com/Entergy or Facebook.com/Entergy.

4.     Follow updates in your local news media, like radio, television and newspapers.

Tags

Storm Center  Texas 

Texas Editorial Team