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Upgrading critical infrastructure to help keep the lights on
05/10/2022
Hurricane season is less than a month away, and Entergy New Orleans continues to identify and implement resiliency upgrades across Orleans Parish.
During one of the most recent projects, Entergy New Orleans’ crews and contractors coordinated the construction and transportation of a 168,000-pound transformer, which was installed at the Avenue C Substation in Lakeview last week. The new piece of equipment is part of a proactive plan to replace aging equipment, as part of the company’s commitment to modernize infrastructure and improve resiliency.
This was first phase of a multi-month project to upgrade the Avenue C Substation.
The design, construction, and coordination of the 84-ton unit was a year-long process. While some transformers are transported via rail, this new substation unit was escorted by police on a flatbed truck down I-10 from a Mississippi facility, navigating the streets of New Orleans before arriving in Lakeview.
The planned project caused no outages or disturbances in the electric system, and Entergy personnel notified nearby residents that the work was scheduled in the area.
An identical “sister” unit is scheduled to be installed in the same substation later this year.
“Entergy New Orleans is making significant investments in strengthening our power grid, and the new transformers are just one piece of our resiliency strategy,” Deanna Rodriguez, President and CEO of Entergy New Orleans. “These upgrades will provide power to the customers in our communities for decades.”
In 2022, Entergy New Orleans plans to invest nearly $165 million on projects to strengthen its electric and gas infrastructure.
Additional photos of the transformer transport can be found here.
