Entergy Texas Urges Customers to Prepare this Hurricane Season

08/20/2020

As the peak of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season nears, there has already been a record-setting eleven named storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released its mid-season update, indicating that the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has the potential to be one of the busiest on record. Entergy Texas, Inc. is currently monitoring several disturbances in the tropics and urges those who have not yet prepared for hurricane season, to do so now.

“While we don’t know when or where a hurricane or tropical storm may strike, Entergy Texas remains ready to safely and quickly restore power if it heads our way,” said Stuart Barrett, vice president of customer service. “The best time to prepare for a storm is well before it makes its way into the Gulf. We prepare year-round for severe weather, and we encourage our customers to have a personal plan in the event a storm impacts southeast Texas this hurricane season.”

Entergy Texas continues navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic by taking additional preparation steps, along with standard storm preparations. These include traveling separately when possible, adjusting crew staging locations and increasing the use of drones.

Stay Prepared
Monitoring severe weather threats is a full-time job: 24/7, 365 days a year. When there’s a severe weather threat, Entergy Texas uses forecasts and computer models based on experience with previous storms to predict an estimated number and duration of outages that could possibly occur. Based on those estimates, the company calls on restoration workers from around the country to safely get the power back on as quickly as possible for customers.

Entergy Texas continuously works to plan and improve the process of assessing damage, positioning personnel to the right place with the required materials and restoring power. Employees across the Entergy system also complete annual storm-response exercises to ensure company procedures are reviewed and updated prior to the beginning of hurricane season.

Because safety is essential at Entergy, we encourage customers to make it a top priority for themselves and their families. We urge you to get your personal storm plans in place and make a kit with the basic supplies you’ll need in an emergency. Learn more about what can go in your kit here.

Important safety tips, such as staying away from downed power lines and debris, not walking in standing water and following local authorities’ instructions, can be found on the Entergy Storm Center.

Stay Informed
Staying informed before, during and after a tropical system strikes is just as important as making personal storm plans. Here’s how Entergy Texas works with customers to stay updated:

Download the Entergy App at entergyapp.com. Customers can use the app to report outages or check on the status of power at their home or business.
Entergy’s View Outages website includes maps that show where outages are located and give information about restoration progress.
Sign up for text messages about storm and restoration efforts by texting REG to 368374.
The Entergy Storm Center website has storm safety, preparation and restoration information that is updated throughout the day.

Operation: Storm Ready Guide is a free downloadable guide that helps customers plan and prepare for weather emergencies.

Social media plays an important role in keeping customers informed, and Entergy places a high priority on keeping its social media sites updated throughout an event. Follow Entergy Texas on Twitter at @EntergyTX and Facebook at facebook.com/EntergyTX.

In addition to safety and preparedness tips, Entergy’s shareholders renewed its partnership with the American Red Cross Disaster Responder Program by committing $500,000 for the next two years to help our communities better prepare for and recover from potential disasters. The contribution will help streamline the response process in times of disaster, allowing funds to arrive more quickly to help those affected across our four-state service area.

About Entergy Texas
Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 461,000 customers in 27 counties. 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 8,000 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 more than 13,000 employees.

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Twitter: @EntergyTX
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