News Release > Entergy to Bring Advanced Meters to Louisiana Homes and Businesses

Entergy to Bring Advanced Meters to Louisiana Homes and Businesses

01/07/2019

Company using technology to modernize electric grid, build smarter energy future

NEW ORLEANS – Outages identified more accurately. Faster restoration response. Billing and service questions answered more efficiently. Additional energy-saving tools for customers. These are all benefits of Entergy’s vision for a smarter energy future, through the company’s deployment of advanced metering for Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans customers.

This multi-year project is already underway with the design and build of the communications network and IT systems taking place over the past two years. Placement of the communications equipment on electric poles and structures has begun, and advanced meters will be installed at homes and businesses starting in February. Meter installation is expected to be complete in New Orleans by the end of 2020 and in the rest of Louisiana by the end of 2021.

“In partnership with our regulators, we are laying the foundation for grid-modernization technologies that will create a smarter energy future for all of Louisiana and offer customers a wide-range of benefits,” said Melonie Stewart, vice president of distribution operations for Louisiana.

Upgrading to advanced meters has numerous advantages, including:

• New online tools will be available to help customers better understand and manage energy usage more effectively, which can lead to reduced energy consumption and potentially lower bills.
• No more waiting until the end of the month to review energy usage. Via the online tools, customers can log in to their accounts and view how much electricity has been used hours before, shown in 15-minute increments.
• With better information, Entergy can answer customers’ billing and service questions faster and more effectively, improving customer service.
• Entergy will have a clearer real-time picture of the power grid and how it is operating. Outages can be identified more accurately, so crews can arrive on the scene faster and safely begin making repairs.

Advanced metering has been implemented by the majority of other United States utilities. It is digital technology that enables secure two-way communication between the customer and Entergy, and each meter is equipped with a network radio. The radio transmits meter readings to the electric network access point, housed on an electric pole near the meter. This data is then transmitted to the utility through a secure cellular network. Advanced metering also brings opportunities for potential new programs that can help further reduce customers’ energy usage and better support environmentally sustainable communities.

Entergy Louisiana customers can learn more about a smarter energy future in Louisiana by visiting energyfuturelouisiana.com. Entergy New Orleans customers can visit energyfutureneworleans.com for New Orleans-specific information. A video explaining how advanced meters work can be found here.

Entergy Louisiana’s more than 93,000 natural gas customers in the greater Baton Rouge area  and Entergy New Orleans’ more than 106,000 natural gas customers also will have their gas meters upgraded with new technology that will provide customers with data needed to better manage gas usage and help lower bills.

Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers and natural gas service to more than 93,000 customers in the greater Baton Rouge area. The company has operations in southern, central and northeastern Louisiana.

Entergy New Orleans, LLC is an electric and gas utility that serves Louisiana’s Orleans Parish. The company provides electricity to more than 200,000 customers and natural gas to more than 106,000 customers. Both companies are subsidiaries of Entergy Corporation.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of approximately $11 billion and nearly 13,000 employees.

B-ROLL for media: https://vimeo.com/309943082/b3b199fd86 

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