Search
News Release > Restoration Efforts Continue After Great Flood of 2016
Restoration Efforts Continue After Great Flood of 2016
08/16/2016
CONTACT:
Michael Burns
504-576-4132
mburns@entergy.com
Kacee Kirschvink
504-576-4132
kkirsch@entergy.com
BATON ROUGE, La. – Work continues Wednesday throughout south Louisiana to restore electricity to Entergy Louisiana customers affected by the historic Louisiana flooding and to mitigate against new outages as rising water affects new communities.
As of 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, approximately 12,200 customers were without electricity due to flooding, down from a peak of 32,157 reached Tuesday. Customer outages have fluctuated as floodwaters have moved into different areas. Entergy Louisiana crews spent the night building flood barriers around substations in Ascension, St. James, St. John and Jefferson Davis parishes that could be impacted by backwater flooding. Those efforts prevented the Gonzales substation from flooding and being de-energized.
“We’re working around the clock to restore power and prevent new outages from occurring,” said Dennis Dawsey, vice president of customer service in Louisiana. “The support we have received from local governmental officials has been instrumental in helping us keep the lights on. We thank them and our customers for their support of our employees as we all cope with this historic event.”
Entergy electric and gas crews have begun walking flooded neighborhoods to inspect facilities and customers’ ability to receive electric or gas service if homes have flooded. If floodwaters did affect their home’s electrical systems, then homeowners may need to hire licensed professionals to make sure their systems are ready to go before Entergy can act. Additional crews from Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas are arriving to help restore service to neighborhoods where floodwaters have receded.
Customers with flooded or damaged homes should remember the following guidelines, which have been developed with the safety of our customers and employees in mind and considering the hardships that many customers are enduring.
Did water at your home or office reach the outside electric meter?
- If so, Entergy will remove the electric meter.
- You may need city inspections once work is completed to turn the power back on.
- After this is done, call Entergy at 1-800-368-3749 for a reconnect. When we receive permits, we will reinstall service to the facility.
Did the water level rise above your electrical outlets but stop below the electric meter?
If you are present when Entergy arrives:
- Entergy will advise you to turn off your main breaker and have repairs made. You will then need to turn your main breaker back on when repairs are complete.
- For your safety, Entergy suggests that a qualified electrician inspect electrical equipment inside of the facility or home, even if your city or parish does not require inspection. If the breaker is turned on before such inspections, you may cause personal injury or property damage.
If you are not present when Entergy arrives:
- Entergy will disconnect the electric meter, and it will remain in place. You will not have power at this point.
- For your safety, Entergy suggests that a qualified electrician inspect electrical equipment inside of the facility or home.
Baton Rouge Natural Gas Customers
- Entergy gas personnel are currently patrolling areas affected by flooding to assess damage to gas meters and associated facilities. We currently estimate that up to 25,000 Entergy gas meters were submerged during the flood and may need to be replaced.
- If your home or business experienced significant flooding, Entergy gas personnel may need to turn off your gas service and remove your gas meter. If your gas meter is removed, a permit will be required to re-establish service.
- If one or more of your gas appliances have flooded, contact a licensed plumber or contractor to inspect your system before using the flooded appliance. Don’t try to put a flooded natural gas appliance back in service yourself. You may be required to obtain a permit from your respective city or parish before we can restore your gas service.
- If you experience any interruption of your natural gas service, call 1-800-ENTERGY to report a natural gas outage.
- Anytime you smell natural gas, or if you hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window, leave the area immediately and call 1-800-ENTERGY.
“Safety of our customers and employees will be our top priority as we begin this new phase of the restoration process,” Dawsey said. “Electricity and water do not mix. The additional crews arriving today will help us restore electricity as quickly as possible, but we want everyone to understand that safety trumps speed.”
Restoration updates for affected areas can also be found on our homepage at entergy.com, through Entergy’s mobile app or via outage texting. In addition, tips for dealing with flooding can be found in the “What to do after the storm” section of Entergy’s Operation: Storm Ready guide on the Entergy Storm Center.
Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers and natural gas service to approximately 93,000 customers in the greater Baton Rouge area. With operations in southern, central and northeastern Louisiana, the company is a subsidiary 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 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of approximately $11.5 billion and more than 13,000 employees.
Twitter: @EntergyLA
