Insights > Entergy issues available estimated restoration times for Louisiana customers affected by Ida

Entergy issues available estimated restoration times for Louisiana customers affected by Ida

By: Corporate Editorial Team

09/03/2021

CREWS REPAIR DOWNED POWER LINES IN LOUISIANA

Five days after Ida made landfall, Entergy has restored 225,000 of the nearly 950,000 customers who lost power due to the storm, with estimated restoration times now available for most Louisiana customers. Preliminary estimated times of restoration for customers in affected areas by network were released this morning and can be found at entergy.com/hurricaneida/etr.

Estimated Time of Restoration Details

The table in the linked page includes general descriptions of local Entergy networks and will be updated with the most current information. While many of those areas are in the process of having power restored, some individual cases may take longer due to unique circumstances. Cities and towns within those networks in some cases will see power earlier than those dates. Specific restoration times down to the local area, including the coast and areas in the immediate path of the storm, are continuing to be developed and will be released in the coming days.

• These estimated times of restoration should help customers better plan and prepare for the coming days, and for those in the hardest-hit areas, weeks ahead but are subject to change as we complete our assessments and continue with restoration work in the affected areas.

For our industrial customers, restoration priority is to power critical community services such as fire, police, hospitals and water and communication services. As we restore service to residential, commercial and industrial customers, we must do it in a way that balances the needs of our customers with the ability to support additional load as the system permits.

Entergy is providing backup generation and restoring power to several critical-service providers, including hospitals and wastewater facilities. The company also is working individually with large industrial customers, including refineries and manufacturing facilities, to coordinate their restoration.

Damage and Restoration Information
Outage information as of 7 a.m. includes:

Distribution system damage in Louisiana and Mississippi at 7 a.m. included 14,527 poles, 17,454 spans of wire and 3,277 transformers damaged or destroyed. Of the 224 affected transmission substations, 106 have returned to service as of 4 p.m. Thursday, as well as 82 of 211 affected transmission lines. More than 1,380 miles of transmission lines remain out of service.

‘View Outages’ Map Information

Due to outage volume and post-storm assessment status, our View Outages map may temporarily show discrepancies. This is due to a data error that we are working to correct as quickly as possible. In the interim, restoration updates are being provided in the red alert banner at the top of the map.

However, this error is not impeding our knowledge of customer outages or slowing down our restoration. In the interim, restoration updates are being provided in the red alert banner at the top of the map.

Customers can now visit entergy.com/hurricaneida for the latest restoration times by affected area. Keep in mind:

Red/green lines do not indicate power status to a specific address. To learn status of your address, check your account by logging into myEntergy or the mobile app, or register for text alerts and text STAT.

The area view provides the most reliable and informative information available during damage assessment following large outage events such as storms. For those with difficulty distinguishing colors, please follow the key for shading which depicts the number of customers out.

Restoration Process Detailed

Restoration is a methodical process. While crews are working in all areas, those with the least amount of damage will be restored sooner. Some customers without power may notice that the electric system in their immediate area has been repaired or appears to be in good condition.

Transmission lines that received major damage may need to be fully reconstructed in parts. Once the transmission lines are flowing electricity into the city’s substations, then power can flow through the distribution lines to homes and businesses that are able to accept power.

We also will reconfigure our electricity delivery system where feasible to return power to some customers more quickly. Once repairs are completed, we will return the system to normal configuration.

Although the power grid in southeast Louisiana will lack the redundancies that are in place when the transmission system is in full operation, Entergy Louisiana’s engineering and operations teams will follow a plan that will maintain the stability of the system.

General Safety Guidelines

You should stay safe as we restore service outages caused by Hurricane Ida.

Stay safe and away from downed power lines and flooded areas. Do not walk in standing water and do not venture into areas of debris, since energized and dangerous power lines may not be visible. Be cautions when clearing limbs or downed vegetation as it could hide electrical hazards.

There is no way to know if a downed line is energized or not, so if you see one, keep your distance and call 1-800-9OUTAGE (800-968-8243).

Generator Usage Safety

Some customers without power may choose to use a portable generator, and the safety guidelines should be followed.

• If customers choose to use a generator, they should buy one only from a reputable dealer who can service and maintain the unit.

• Customers should always use portable electric generators in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

• A gasoline engine usually powers stand-alone generators. Customers should use them only in well-ventilated areas. Never use a generator indoors as carbon monoxide from the exhaust is deadly.

• If the generator has panel-mounted electrical receptacles as part of the unit, appliances may be plugged directly into the generator.

• Customers must never connect a generator directly to a building’s wiring without a licensed electrician disconnecting the house wiring from Entergy’s service. Otherwise, it can create a safety hazard for the customer or Entergy’s workers working to restore power. And it may damage the generator or the house wiring.

• Customers should use a licensed electrician to install the necessary equipment should they decide to wire a generator into their home wiring. The equipment should include a switch to transfer the power source between Entergy and the generator.

• The generator should be properly sized for the expected load. For example, a 3-kilowatt generator will produce 3,000 watts. This is enough power for a 1,200-watt hair dryer and a 1,600-watt toaster, with some power left over for a few light bulbs. Customers should plan for additional needs when sizing their generator.

• Customers should consider a generator’s noise pollution as part of their buying decision. The noise may be obtrusive to neighbors without power.

• Commercial customers should consult with an independent engineer or electrician to size the generator, modify wiring and provide for automatic transfer of power during an outage.

• Customers should consult with suppliers, vendors and local electrical utility companies about required permits before starting any work in a home or business.

• Restoration workers who discover a generator attached directly to Entergy’s system will work with the customer to disconnect the generator. As a last resort, the restoration worker will disconnect the customer’s service connection to Entergy, which may take an extended time to reconnect due to the extensive restoration effort underway.

Tags

Corporate  Louisiana  Storm Center  Hurricane Ida 

Corporate Editorial Team