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Insights > Entergy System Winter Storm Update – 2/21/21 @ 9:30 a.m.
Entergy System Winter Storm Update – 2/21/21 @ 9:30 a.m.
02/21/2021
Improving conditions are allowing our restoration workers to increase the pace of restoration for our customers still without power.
Crews have successfully restored nearly 134,000 of the more than 160,000 outages that occurred since Feb. 18.
At 9 a.m. today, 26,162 customer outages remained, including:
Louisiana: 9,680
Mississippi: 16,394
Arkansas: 77
Texas: 11
Restoration for most customers without power should occur by this evening. Restoration for customers in more remote locations could last until early in the week.
As we restore service to customers, demand for power will grow. We will restore service to our customers as safely and quickly as possible. However, we must continue our cold-weather restoration processes to manage instantaneous demand. Customers without power should turn off or unplug electric heat systems and appliances and turn them back on gradually after power is restored.
Our total restoration workforce of 7,952 is restoring power as quickly and safely as possible.
- We remind customers that ice remaining on trees and power lines can result in power outages.
- Road closures due to icy conditions and other accessibility challenges may affect the ability of crews to reach some areas and could delay restoration in those communities.
- Crews will continue to take extra safety precautions and practice social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which could slow restoration as well.
The series of storms has caused damage to our electricity distribution equipment. By 9 p.m. Saturday, assessors had found 442 poles, 502 transformers and 3,317 spans of wire were damaged or destroyed.
Entergy’s reliability coordinator, MISO, has canceled its directive to conserve electricity, but continues monitoring the demand for electrical power with the available supply.
We continue experiencing a delay in reflecting restoration status on the outage map, causing temporary discrepancies in information presented. We are working to correct the issues and apologize for the inconvenience. If power is restored in your area and/or an outage at your location is not displayed on the map, please contact us to report your outage. To report an outage, call 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243), or, if registered, text OUT to 36778.
Restoration Information
- Our restoration crews are restoring power for our customers where it is safe to do so. Road closures due to icy conditions and other accessibility challenges due to the storm may affect our ability to reach some areas of our territory and could delay restoration in those communities.
- There can be many factors that cause momentary interruptions in power. During extremely cold weather, the electric load increases significantly in comparison to “normal" cold weather conditions. Colder temperatures during the early morning and late-night hours can prompt many customers to heat their homes around the same time. This can sometimes cause voltage variations, causing power to go off and on repeatedly. Report such incidents to entergy.com or 1-800-9-OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243).
- 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.
- These are extreme conditions creating high demand for electricity. It takes more electricity to heat your home. When using an air conditioner to cool, excess heat is taken from inside your home and moved outside. Heating your home requires a machine inside to make heat and then move it.
Cold Weather Restoration
We use a methodical and calculated process in bringing customers back online after an outage in very cold weather, regardless of whether the initial cause of the outage was specifically weather-related.
- Rather than simply energizing an entire power line all at once, we must bring customers back online one section at a time to avoid damage to our system and make the situation worse.
- During cold temperature extremes, customers tend to use a lot of electricity to keep heating or other devices running. Electric heaters often will run continuously, creating a constant power demand.
- When power is disrupted during winter, many customers leave their heating systems and appliances turned on, creating too much energy demand all at once when we try to restore power.
- Restoring all customers on the same power line has the potential to create large, instantaneous power demands. The instant demand could be higher than the built-in protective devices on a line can handle.
- We have devices that protect our system during times of normal, day-to-day operations and power demand. During weather extremes, we must change our processes to protect our system and restore power in a way that best ensures safety and reliability for our customers.
- During extreme cold weather conditions, these specific restoration challenges are experienced not just by Entergy, but throughout the industry and the country.
- Customers without power can help in the restoration process by turning off major appliances but leaving on a lamp or other light to indicate when power is restored. Then, gradually turn other appliances to spread out the increase in power usage over a longer time.
- If you heat your home with natural gas, your furnace still requires electricity to run. Both the motor that powers the blower fan and the ignition systems in most modern furnaces require electricity. Also, as a safety precaution, your furnace typically won’t operate unless the blower has power to prevent the unit from overheating.
If you lose power:
- Stay away from downed power lines. You can’t tell from looking at them whether they are energized or not, so assume they are. Report them to 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243).
- Report your power outage online or call 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243). If you report your outage by phone, trust the automated system. It works very well. There is no need to speak with a customer service representative to report an outage.
- If you have a portable generator, use it safely. DO NOT run it in an enclosed space. If connecting to the whole house, do so only if the connection has been installed by a licensed electrician.
- Do not open your refrigerator or freezer door. Food will stay cold much longer this way. If outside temperature is below freezing, consider placing food in an ice chest outside.
- Stay clear of linemen as they work.
To stay up to date on outages and restoration:
- Download the Entergy app for Apple or Android operating systems at Entergy.com/app.
- Register for address-specific alerts by texting REG to 36778. Customers will need an account number and ZIP code. Once registered, text OUT to 36778 to report an outage.
- Visit “View Outages.”
- Follow us at https://twitter.com/entergy or https://www.facebook.com/entergy.
- Follow updates in local news media, including radio, television and newspapers.
- For tips on battling winter’s chill, while still keeping a lid on energy bills, go to Entergy’s Storm Center and view our Operation: Storm Ready Guide.
Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in attempts to scam our customers during these winter storms.
- Entergy customer service representatives never demand 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.
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