News Release > Entergy Louisiana celebrates start of company’s grid resilience program in Jefferson Parish

Entergy Louisiana celebrates start of company’s grid resilience program in Jefferson Parish

11/21/2024

Today, Entergy Louisiana representatives and local officials gathered in Westwego to celebrate the start of phase one of the company’s comprehensive grid resilience plan in Jefferson Parish.

A ceremonial ribbon cutting was held near a seafood market off the Westbank Expressway, where work is underway to strengthen the electric grid. Set against a backdrop of bucket trucks and lineworkers, the event marks the beginning of an era of more resilient infrastructure, enabling faster and more cost-effective recovery for communities vulnerable to major storms. This initiative will also support a more robust Gulf Coast economy.

“We’re excited to support a stronger, more resilient future for Jefferson Parish and a region that is critically important to our state’s economy,” said Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana president and CEO. “We’re proud to serve Southeast Louisiana and look forward to completing projects that will speed up power restoration, allow us to continue enjoying life along the Gulf Coast and position our state to seize economic opportunities ahead.”

According to the LSU Center for Energy Studies’ 2024 Gulf Coast Energy Outlook, the Gulf Coast has attracted over $262 billion in announced energy manufacturing investments since 2013, with Louisiana capturing more than 50% of that share. Additionally, Louisiana Economic Development reports that business investment in the state reached historic levels last year, with companies announcing over $25 billion in new projects.

From seafood markets to schools and hospitals, companies and their workforces rely on dependable power to deliver goods and essential services. Residents and families also depend on reliable power to achieve their goals and enjoy life within their communities.

Alongside its energy sector and busy ports, Southeast Louisiana is renowned for its seafood industry, which contributes $2.4 billion annually to the state’s economy and supports thousands of jobs. Jefferson Parish, home to cities like Westwego and Jean Lafitte, is particularly dependent on this industry.

Over the next five years, Entergy Louisiana’s resilience plan will fortify electric infrastructure statewide, strengthening the power grid and safeguarding Louisiana’s economy. The initial phase includes 2,100 projects targeting 69,000 distribution and transmission structures. Upgrades may include replacing electric equipment, such as poles, guy wires, anchors, and power lines, to meet modern wind-loading standards.

In Jefferson Parish, the company plans to invest approximately $233 million over five years to strengthen nearly 200 miles of transmission and distribution lines, upgrading around 7,400 distribution poles to withstand winds of up to 140 mph. United Utility Services and Ampirical Solutions have been contracted to complete the work.

“We’re proud to join Entergy today to celebrate a more resilient future for Jefferson Parish’s residents and businesses,” said Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng. “We’re all too familiar with severe weather impacts, and this program to fortify our parish’s electric grid enhances our annual preparation and readiness.”

To develop its comprehensive grid resilience plan, Entergy Louisiana used a data-driven approach to evaluate thousands of potential storm scenarios, identifying priority projects. The plan is expected to yield $1.2 billion in avoided future storm restoration costs, improve daily service reliability, and generate customer savings by reducing post-storm outages.

By reducing restoration costs and outages from future extreme weather, the resilience plan will help shorten evacuations and minimize time away from home and work, facilitating faster recovery for Louisiana communities.

Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta, who representing the State of Louisiana through District 1 and supported Entergy Louisiana’s resilience plan, attended the ceremony.

“It’s an honor to represent the State of Louisiana and my district on the Public Service Commission, making positive productive decisions for residents and businesses,” Skrmetta said. “Entergy Louisiana’s plan to strengthen the electric system across Jefferson Parish and the state will keep the lights on longer and restore them faster after unfortunate outages; these are the benefits of resilience our communities deserve.”

For more information about Entergy Louisiana’s resilience program, visit https://www.entergynewsroom.com/news/phase-one-entergy-louisiana-s-comprehensive-grid-resilience-plan-approved-by-lpsc/.

About Entergy Louisiana

Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers in 58 parishes and natural gas service to more than 94,000 customers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Entergy Louisiana is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR), a Fortune 500 company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees.