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It all started with sawdust
It all started with a handshake, some sawdust ... and a vision. Over a century ago, Harvey Couch had the idea to bring safe, affordable, reliable power to the Middle South — power that would open the door to the modern world for the people and communities we serve. His vision lives on today: Entergy delivers electricity to 3 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Swipe through our history below
1913
1914
1922
1923
1924
1925
1927
1933
1935
1941
1948
1949
1961
1962
1965
1969
1974
1975
1980
1985
1989
1993
1994
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2005
2006
2007
2013
2014
2017
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
1913
Harvey Couch, president of Arkansas Power Company, and H.H. Foster, president of Arkansas Land and Lumber, shake hands on a deal to use Foster’s sawdust as fuel to generate power.
1914
Now called Arkansas Power and Light, or AP&L, Arkansas’ newest endeavor turns on its generators at the lumber company, providing electricity to 22 miles of transmission lines throughout Malvern and Arkadelphia.
1922
New Orleans Public Service Inc., or NOPSI, is established as the sole provider of electricity, gas and transit service in New Orleans.
1923
Mississippi Power and Light Company, or MP&L, is formed.
1924
Remmel Dam in Arkansas, Couch's first hydroelectric project, is completed.
1924
Louisiana Power Company, or LP&C, is formed to finance, build and operate the Sterlington Generating Station, which will come online in a year.
1925
Couch sells part of MP&L to Electric Power and Light Corporation, or EP&L, a subsidiary of the Electric Bond and Share Company, a national utility holding company. Couch's companies combine with EBASCO. Gulf States Utilities Company, or GSUC, is incorporated in Texas.
1927
Louisiana Power and Light Company, or LP&L, is created as part of EP&L.
1933
EP&L becomes a founding member of the Edison Electric Institute.
1935
The Public Utility Hold Company Act is enacted, breaking up multilevel holding companies like EBASCO.
1941
Harvey Couch dies.
1948
The Rex Brown Plant, named after then MP&L President Rex Brown, is completed and becomes the first large source of electricity generation in Mississippi.
1949
With headquarters in New York, Middle South Utilities Inc., or MSU, is formed as a holding company for AP&L, LP&L MP&L and NOPSI. The company’s common stock begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange on May 31. Edgar Dixon is named as the first chief executive of the company, which serves over 625,000 customers in more than 1,600 communities in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
1961
LP&L's Little Gypsy Plant, near New Orleans, becomes the world’s first fully automated generating unit.
1962
Gerald Andrus succeeds Edgar Dixon as MSU's leader.
1965
Hurricane Betsy destroys 90% of the company’s system in New Orleans, leaving all of LP&L's customers in southern Louisiana without power.
1969
MSU now serves more than 1 million customers.
1974
AP&L's Arkansas Nuclear One becomes the first nuclear power plant to operate in the Southeast.
1975
MSU's corporate headquarters moves from New York to New Orleans.
1980
White Bluff Plant in Arkansas becomes MSU’s first coal-powered unit.
1985
Edwin Lupberger becomes MSU’s chief executive after Floyd Lewis retires. The company's Grand Gulf One and Waterford 3 nuclear plants enter commercial operation.
1989
The company officially changes its name to Entergy Corporation. The name Entergy is a composite of the words "enterprise," "energy" and "synergy," three qualities that described the company’s new approach to navigating the rapidly evolving marketplace.
1993
Entergy merges with Gulf States Utilities Company, adding River Bend Station as its fourth nuclear site. Entergy now serves more than 2.3 million customers.
1994
Entergy embarks on a five-year expansion plan, eventually growing into different industries and establishing foreign entities in Australia, South America, China, Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
1998
In order to refocus on its traditional strengths, Entergy rids itself of its international holdings and noncore domestic businesses. J. Wayne Leonard is named chief executive officer.
1999
Entergy begins northeastern expansion with the purchase of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The company holds its first Low-Income Summit to help low- and middle-income customers.
2000
The Entergy Charitable Foundation is established to focus on low-income initiatives, education and literacy programs.
2000
Entergy acquires two nuclear plants in New York: Indian Point Energy Center Unit 3 and James A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant. The company also acquires TLG Services Inc., a leader in nuclear power decommissioning.
2001
Entergy becomes the country’s first utility to pledge to hold greenhouse gas emissions to year 2000 levels. The company purchases Indian Point Unit 2 in New York.
2002
Entergy begins managing Cooper Nuclear Station in Nebraska and acquires Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vermont.
2005
Hurricane Katrina devastates the Gulf Coast, leaving 1.1 million Entergy customers without power. Twenty-six days later, Hurricane Rita leaves 800,000 Entergy customers in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas in the dark.
2006
Entergy’s corporate headquarters returns to New Orleans midyear after nine months in Clinton, Mississippi, as a result of Hurricane Katrina. CEO J. Wayne Leonard is elected chairman of the board.
2007
Entergy acquires Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Michigan. The company forms Entergy Wholesale Commodities group to integrate non-utility generating assets.
2013
Leo Denault (right) succeeds J. Wayne Leonard as chairman of the board and chief executive officer.
2013
Entergy celebrates its 100th anniversary, and the book "We Power Life: Entergy's first century," written by Heidi Tyline King, is published to celebrate this milestone.
2013
Entergy joins the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, a regional transmission organization.
2014
After 42 years of safe and reliable operations, Vermont Yankee is removed from the grid and will later be sold to NorthStar Group Services in 2019 for accelerated decommissioning.
2017
Entergy sells the James A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant to Exelon Corporation.
2019
Entergy begins installing advanced meters for 3 million customers throughout its service area. The new technology allows for faster detection of outages and greater insight into energy usage.
2019
Entergy sells the subsidiary that owns the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station to a Holtec International Subsidiary.
2019
KeyString Labs launches as the company’s innovation center focused on realizing customer-centric growth opportunities.
2020
Entergy's power plant in St. Charles Parish is renamed the J. Wayne Leonard Power Station in recognition of Entergy’s late chairman and CEO.
Louisiana’s Lake Charles Power Station begins commercial operations, and Indian Point Unit 2 in New York is shut down after more than 45 years of operation.
2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic takes a significant toll on communities and economies across the globe, Entergy enhances its local business partnerships to play a role in sustaining communities and restoring economic prosperity.
2020
Entergy Louisiana partners with Edison Chouest Offshore to launch Shore Power, the electrification of marine vessels at port to help more customers access clean electricity in a cost-effective manner.
2020
Entergy commits to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by adding renewable energy resources and storage, investing in its utility-owned nuclear facilities and collaborating with others to advance innovation and adopt emerging technologies.
2021
Entergy completes the sale of Indian Point Energy Center in New York to a Holtec International subsidiary.
2021
Hurricane Ida makes landfall Aug. 29 as an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane near Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Ida's historic intensity causes severe damage to Entergy's systems, resulting in a peak of 948,000 outages in Louisiana and Mississippi. In response to the widespread devastation caused by the storm, Entergy deploys the largest restoration effort it has ever mobilized with more than 28,000 workers from 41 states.
2021
Entergy celebrates 20 consecutive years of recognition as a leader in sustainability.
2022
In June, Entergy completes the sale of the Palisades Power Plant to Holtec International to ensure a safe and timely decommissioning of the nuclear site. Palisades was permanently shut down in May after generating safe, secure and reliable electricity for more than 50 years. The sale completes the last major milestone of Entergy’s multi-year, planned exit from the merchant nuclear power business.
2022
Drew Marsh (right) succeeds Leo Denault as chair of the board and chief executive officer.
2023
Entergy announced as the founding partner of the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee, with Executive Vice President and General Counsel Marcus Brown serving as its chairman. The Host Committee works in partnership with the NFL and other stakeholders to create an unforgettable experience for all who will attend Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in 2025.
2024
Entergy Mississippi announces plans to provide power to support the single largest capital investment in state history – a $10 billion planned investment by Amazon Web Services Inc., an Amazon.com Inc. company, which will bring new jobs and economic development opportunities to the state.
