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Insights > Entergy System Hurricane Delta Restoration Update – 10/10/20 @ 10 a.m.
Entergy System Hurricane Delta Restoration Update – 10/10/20 @ 10 a.m.
10/10/2020
Hurricane Delta made landfall Friday evening near Creole, Louisiana, as a Category 2 storm causing more than 483,000 power outages for Entergy customers. As it moved inland, the storm weakened to a Category 1 and then to a tropical storm. However, despite its weakening, Delta is still producing damaging wind gusts, heavy rainfall, and a risk of isolated tornadoes. Outages are expected to increase today as the storm continues moving through our service territory.
Customers may see extended power outages given the additional need for our crews to follow COVID-19 precautionary measures, hardest hit areas may experience outages for up to 10 days. In addition, restoration may be hampered by flooding, blocked access or other obstacles.
At 10 a.m., 447,943 customers were without power, including:
- Louisiana – 300,373
- Texas – 97,858
- Mississippi - 45,078
- Arkansas - 4,634
We continue acquiring more resources for our restoration teams, with more than 11,200 workers as of 7 a.m. Oct. 10 ready to restore service for customers whose power may be affected by Delta. We are in contact with other utilities and contract workers to bring in additional out-of-state utility crews to quickly move in to help restore service. We continue securing additional resources, but to date have confirmed the following:
- For Louisiana, approximately 7,300 workers
- For Mississippi, approximately 2,200 workers
- For Texas, approximately 1,200 workers
- For Arkansas, approximately 330 workers
We staged external resources in safe locations outside of the impacted area to be ready to restore service as soon as it is safe to do so. Once our workers return, we can begin safely restoring service to customers by closing circuit breakers, rerouting power and other means.
As we learn more about the damage, we put in place a restoration plan that helps us restore the greatest number of customers safely in the shortest amount of time.
Here’s how we approach things at this stage to restore your power safely and quickly when conditions are safe:
- Essential services such as hospitals, nursing homes, fire and police departments, and water systems are at the head of the restoration list, along with our equipment that supplies electricity to large numbers of customers.
- Then we will concentrate our resources on getting the greatest number of customers back the fastest.
- We can’t use our bucket trucks until sustained winds are less than 30 mph, but we can still begin restoring service to customers by closing circuit breakers, rerouting power and other actions.
- You may see trucks, other vehicles and workers lined up while we process them into our system, taking inventory of equipment and personnel and giving a complete safety orientation.
- Repairs begin with major lines to the substations, then to the lines and equipment serving neighborhoods, businesses and homes.
- Service lines to individual homes and businesses will be restored last because fewer customers are involved, and in the case of fewer outages spread over larger areas, it often takes more time to get power back on for them.
- Significant flooding and other accessibility challenges due to the storm will affect our ability to reach some areas of our territory and could delay restoration in those communities.
- When restoration starts, keep in mind that if you don’t see us working near you, we may be working on another part of the electrical system that you can’t see but must be repaired to get power to you.
Responding to a major storm and COVID-19 could affect our response:
- Along with standard storm preparations, Entergy employees are navigating the COVID-19 pandemic by taking additional steps. These include traveling separately when possible, adjusting crew staging locations and increasing the use of drones.
- Due to the additional measures crews must take, restoration may take longer, especially where there are widespread outages. Additionally, crews will continue to practice social distancing and we ask that customers do the same. For their safety and yours, please stay away from work zones.
Restoration Process
- Based on historical restoration times, customers in the direct path of a Category 2 hurricane can experience outages of up to 10 days. While 90% of customers will be restored sooner, customers should plan for the possibility of being in the hardest-hit area.
- For areas experiencing impacts equivalent to that of a Category 1, customers should prepare to be without power out for up to seven days. Every storm is unique, and once the storm passes, we will keep customer informed regarding restoration efforts.
- Our crews, contractors and mutual-assistance partners are prepared to work long hours after the storm passes, restoring service to customers as safely and as quickly as possible. We continue acquiring more resources to restore service, including adding more transmission restoration workers in anticipation of damage to our high-voltage systems.
- Our logistics team acquired hotel rooms and are prepared to move mobile sleeping units to the affected areas to house the thousands of restoration workers coming to help restore service for our customers. Logistical arrangements are being made in accordance with COVID-19 precautionary measures.
- Following a storm, we deploy scouts to assess damage to determine the exact cause of your outage and how long it will take to correct the problem. Assessments could take up to three days to complete. However, while we are assessing, we are also restoring service where it is safe to do so.
- As safety is always the highest of priorities, and as we assess the damage, we’ll begin restoring service where it is deemed safe to do so.
- Our employees are our greatest assets; we will keep our workers safe during a storm response.
- Keeping our workers safe from worsening weather conditions may limit our ability to restore service as quickly as we’d all like.
- We are committed to keeping our employees safe and sheltered during dangerous periods caused by high winds, flooding and other severe storm conditions.
- For strong hurricanes, we evacuate from the predicted landfall area, but quickly return as soon as conditions are safe to begin restoration.
- Facing severe weather can be extremely challenging; we’re committed to minimizing the effects of a bad storm.
- Weather forecasts and computer models based on knowledge from past storms are used to predict the estimated number of customers without power and the number of days needed to restore power.
- Power is restored faster in areas with less damage. Some of the hardest-hit areas may take longer, which should be factored into your personal storm plan. Remember, safety first.
- Once the storm passes, we can fully assess the damage and will have more information to share.
Hurricane Laura/Delta Update
- Hurricane Delta comes six weeks following Hurricane Laura hit the Louisiana coastline, where landfall the storms spanned less than 15 miles apart.
- Entergy Louisiana had restored power to all accessible customers in Southwest Louisiana who could safely receive it after Hurricane Laura devastated the region and catapulted the company into its largest restoration effort. We are currently assessing damage due to Hurricane Delta.
- Since Hurricane Laura caused significant damage to the transmission system across Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas, Entergy crews have rebuilt most of the transmission system affected by Hurricane Laura. We’ll continue assessing damage caused by Hurricane Delta.
Stay Informed
When restoration begins, customers may experience delays when calling our telephone centers, especially from unaffected areas, due to overloading of the system with outage calls. We encourage customers to use these other means to interact with us during restoration:
- Download our free app for your smartphone.
- Sign up for text alerts by texting REG to 36778 and have your account number and ZIP code handy. The registration pattern is as follows including spaces: REG (account number) (ZIP code). Once registered, text OUT to 36778 to report an outage. You can also report an outage online as a guest.
- Visit our View Outages page.
- Follow us on Twitter.com/entergy or Facebook.com/entergy.
- Call us at 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243).
- Follow updates in your local news media, like radio, television and newspapers.
Unfortunately, attempts to scam customers appeared after Hurricane Laura. We caution customers to be aware of unscrupulous attempts to swindle our customers during Hurricane Delta recovery.
- Entergy never demands immediate payment from customers over the phone. You shouldn't give your personal information to strangers.
- If a call sounds suspicious, hang-up and call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) to speak directly with an Entergy customer service representative.
- If you believe you are a victim of this scam, notify the proper authorities, such as the local police or the state attorney general's office.
Customer Safety
You should stay safe as we restore service outages caused by Hurricane Delta.
- 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 (1-800-968-8243).
- 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.
- Customers choosing to use portable generators should do so in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
- 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 our linemen working to restore power. And it may damage the generator or the house wiring.
- Position generators outdoors and well away from any structure. Running a generator inside any enclosed or partially enclosed structure can lead to dangerous and often fatal levels of carbon monoxide. Make sure a generator has 3 to 4 feet of clear space on all sides and above it to ensure adequate ventilation. Keep generators positioned outside and away from doors, windows and vents so exhaust does not enter your home/business or a neighboring home/business.
Hurricane Delta Restoration Photos and Videos
