Insights > Entergy System Hurricane Zeta Restoration Update – 10/30/20 @ 8:30 a.m.

Entergy System Hurricane Zeta Restoration Update – 10/30/20 @ 8:30 a.m.

By: Corporate Editorial Team

10/30/2020

Click here for damage and restoration photos

One day after Hurricane Zeta made landfall, Entergy’s restoration workforce has restored 145,063 of the Louisiana customers who lost power. The storm made landfall Wednesday afternoon near Cocodrie, Louisiana, as a strong Category 2 hurricane with winds of 110 mph, causing power outages for 483,000 Entergy customers in Louisiana and Mississippi.

The greatest danger after this type of storm remains downed power lines and electrical equipment. If anyone sees a power line or electrical equipment on the ground or in the trees or bushes -- do not go near it! Call us at 800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243).

Customers choosing to use a generator should buy one only from a reputable dealer who can service and maintain the unit. Always use portable electric generators in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. More generator-use information is below.

Louisiana outage information as of 6 a.m. Oct. 30:

We are approximately 70% complete assessing damage to the electrical grid as crews continue performing restoration work. We expect to provide estimated restoration times by this evening for all customers.

Distribution damages to our system as of 9 p.m. Oct. 29 include 1,142 poles, 194 transformers and 623 spans of wire damaged or destroyed.

On our transmission system, 24 of 32 affected substations and 20 of 41 affected transmission lines have returned to service at 8 a.m. today.

Based on historical restoration times, customers in the direct path of a Category 2 hurricane can experience outages for up to 10 days, although 90% of customers will be restored sooner.

We continue acquiring more resources for our restoration teams, with nearly 5,650 currently restoring service or en route for customers whose power has been affected by Zeta.

Our crews, contractors and mutual-assistance partners are working long hours, restoring service to customers as safely and as quickly as possible.

Restoration Process

We’ve reached a point in recovering from Zeta that can be very frustrating for you. The storm has passed, yet power outages remain as we continue our restoration. We know you want to know when your power will be restored.

• We ask for your patience as we rebuild damaged infrastructure, including poles, wires, substations and major lines.
• We know you are concerned about getting power back and how you can handle ordinary, everyday activities until then. Crews are working in multiple locations. Our plan prioritizes restoring power to groups of customers, then individuals.
• As we restore service in parts of our territory, we will reassign crews to areas still without power. Some customers may notice their neighbors have power even while they are still without. This could be caused by the two areas being served by different parts of the electrical grid, like circuit breakers providing power to separate sections of a home.
• If you don’t see us working near you, keep in mind that we may be working on another part of the electrical system that you can’t see but is needed to get power to you.
• Do not approach utility workers at a job site. Our work sites can be dangerous locations and interruptions will slow our workers’ progress. This is especially true regarding social distancing and other aspects of the response to COVID-19.
• It can be frustrating for you if you see trucks move away from an area before power is restored. Our work, however, must take place in a certain order, determined by a restoration plan that considers how electricity flows to your neighborhood and prioritizes critical customers. Trucks and workers will return to your area as soon as possible to complete the restoration work.

Here’s how we restore your power safely and quickly:

• 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.
• 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.
• Road and flood-gate closures, flooding and other accessibility challenges due to the storm is affecting our ability to reach some areas of our territory and could delay restoration in those communities.
• Our field workers work a 16-hour day that provide eight hours off to rest and restore. We provide our workforce with food and shelter so that they can focus on the task at hand.
• Click here to learn more about our restoration process.

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.

We continuously learn and improve from storm experiences, including Hurricane Laura that devastated Southwest Louisiana after making landfall Aug. 27 and Hurricane Delta on Oct. 9.

• We are ready to take appropriate action before, during and after severe weather.
• We demonstrated our restoration ability following these two storms by assembling large restoration workforces to safely and quickly restore power to our customers.
• Based on previous storm responses and annual storm exercises, we are constantly updating and improving our operations related to storm damage restoration.
• Operation: Storm Ready is our internal process of continuous planning, preparation and training. And an early step, when facing a storm, is to prepare to bring in extra personnel to support the effort.
• We have worked to storm-harden our system. From aggressive preventive maintenance programs to using steel transmission structures near the coast, elevating substations that might flood and installing "isolation" devices on lines to reduce outages, our goal is always to restore power safely and quickly.

Customer Safety

• The safety of our workers and customers remains our key value, especially during power outages and severe weather conditions.
• The greatest danger during and after a storm like this is from downed power lines and electrical equipment. If anyone sees a power line on the ground or in the trees or bushes—do not go near it! Call us at 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243).
• Entergy’s goal is to provide reliable electrical power at a reasonable price. But some emergency conditions may cause power outages that last for extended periods. Some customers may choose to use a portable generator during these times.
• 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 linemen 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.
• Click here for more generator safety information.
• Customers should consult with suppliers, vendors and local electrical utility companies about required permits before starting any work in a home or business.
• For our natural gas customers:
  • If you smell natural gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and leave the area immediately. Do not operate electrical switches. Call the gas company from a nearby building and don’t re-enter until it’s safe to do so. For more gas safety tips, visit Entergy’s Storm Center.
  • Stay safe. Don’t use gas or electrical appliances that have been flooded. More flood safety tips are available here.
  • During storm cleanup work, don’t forget to call 811 before digging. It helps prevent accidents and outages, plus helps avoid damages to buried utilities. #Call811.

We caution customers to be aware of unscrupulous attempts to swindle our customers during Hurricane Zeta 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.

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 at entergy.com/app.
• 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.

Tags

Storm Center  Hurricane Zeta  Entergy System 

Corporate Editorial Team