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Insights > Entergy System Hurricane Delta Restoration Update – 10/10/20 @ 5 p.m.
Entergy System Hurricane Delta Restoration Update – 10/10/20 @ 5 p.m.
10/10/2020
Hurricane Delta made landfall as a Category 2 storm Friday evening (Oct. 9) near Creole, Louisiana, with winds approaching 100 mph. As it moved inland, the storm weakened to a Category 1 and then to a tropical storm.
We are assessing the damage to our system caused by this storm.
- We know you want your power restored and we have started the process. As we begin restoring power to critical services, we begin to assess damage and put in place our restoration plan that will restore service to the greatest number of our customers as safely and quickly as possible.
- We use advanced technology, such as infrared cameras, drones and satellite imagery to assess damage by foot, vehicles, airboats, high-water vehicles and helicopters.
- Damage assessments could take up to three days. Our scouts are assessing damage to determine the exact cause of your outage and how long it will take to correct the problem.
- While we are assessing damage, we will continue restoring service where it is safe to do so.
- We'll be better prepared to give an estimated time to restore your power after the full assessment is completed.
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 5 p.m., 337,256 customers were without power, including:
- Louisiana – 225,253
- Texas – 81,790
- Mississippi – 28,070
- Arkansas – 2,143
Our crews, contractors and mutual-assistance partners are prepared to work long hours restoring service to customers as safely and as quickly as possible. We continue acquiring more resources for our restoration teams.
- As of 12 p.m. Saturday, we’ve activated approximately 12,500 workers for storm restoration. These resources include company employees, contractors and mutual aid resources numbering approximately 350 in Arkansas, 2,530 in Mississippi, 8,120 in Louisiana and 1,440 in Texas.
- These resources may be relocated across Entergy’s service territory as needed to restore service to affected customers.
The transmission team is patrolling the damage by ground and air to continue assessing the impact following Hurricane Delta. A total of 209 substations and 160 transmission lines saw an outage as a result of Hurricane Delta.
As of Saturday afternoon, transmission had returned 93 substations and 41 lines to service. As of 1 p.m. Saturday, distribution system damage included 242 poles, 70 transformers and 609 spans of wire.
Louisiana: Crews have begun to restore service as quickly and safely as possible. Delta brought high winds and heavy rain across Louisiana overnight. The majority in the hard-hit parishes of Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, East Baton Rouge and Ouachita.
Texas: Crews have begun to restore service as quickly and safely as possible. We expect most customers in the Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange areas to be restored by Wednesday and all by Friday. We expect most customers in the Silsbee and Winnie areas to be restored by end of day Sunday.
Mississippi: The remnants of Hurricane Delta caused widespread power outages throughout our service territory throughout the day Saturday. Crews have begun to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.
Hurricane Laura/Delta Update
- Hurricane Delta comes six weeks following Hurricane Laura hit the Louisiana coastline, with their landfall 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.
- Hurricane Delta caused outages to the transmission system in SW Louisiana. Initial assessments indicate minimal transmission damage, which will allow for facilities to be restored much more quickly than in Hurricane Laura. Restoration of customers is currently underway.
- At this time, we believe Hurricane Delta caused minimal impact to the ongoing restoration of remaining facilities out of service following Hurricane Laura.
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
