Insights > Entergy Louisiana Restoration Morning Update – Sept. 3

Entergy Louisiana Restoration Morning Update – Sept. 3

09/03/2020

Crews continue to make significant progress in repairing the Entergy Louisiana electric system in order to restore service to homes and businesses that can safely receive power. We have launched a new Hurricane Laura information website to provide customers with storm restoration and recovery updates. You can visit the site at entergy.com/hurricanelaura

Repairs to our distribution system are underway and crews are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore electrical service to homes and businesses that can safely receive power. However, they continue to face significant obstacles to rebuild our transmission system, which was heavily damaged by Laura.

Outages are down to approximately 110,900 as of noon Thursday, down from a peak of more than 270,000 outages.

For customers in Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes, restoring power may take longer than expected as a result of extensive damage to transmission lines serving the area.  We have found damage to approximately 1,000 transmission structures, 6,600 broken poles, 338 miles of wire and nearly 3,000 transformers. Due to this damage, the transmission and distribution systems will require nearly a complete rebuild in this area. As more generation and transmission services are available in southwest Louisiana, this should help improve our ability to finalize our restoration efforts.

In the Jennings area there are approximately 3,257 customers who remain out of power. There are approximately 1,700 customers being served from a substation that is not re-energized and will remain without power until the transmission line serving that area, which was catastrophically damaged, can be rebuilt. 

Along with standard storm preparations, Entergy employees are navigating the COVID-19 pandemic by taking additional steps. Due to the added measures crews must take, restoration may take longer, especially where there are widespread outages. Also, crews will continue to practice social distancing, and we ask that customers do the same.  For their safety and yours, please stay away from work zones.

Crews are focusing on restoring emergency services first and then will prioritize work to restore the greatest number of customers. 

SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

Lake Charles Area

Crews in the Lake Charles Network continued restoration activities and have been working safely.  Crews were very successful, installing over 200 new poles in the area. Throughout the day crews provided disconnects on several businesses in the Lake Charles area. Additionally, crews worked with our Customer Service Management Team to accommodate several requests to remove Entergy equipment, debris, and wire from both commercial and residential customers.  

Below is a breakdown of the East side of Lake Charles:

Prien Lake – Damage assessment is 100% complete. There are 676 Line workers focused on rebuilding transmission. Yesterday crews installed 107 new poles and replaced 259 spans of wire. Today crews will be working in the same areas clearing roadways, preparing for restoration work.

Airport – Damage assessment is 100% complete. Yesterday there were 683 Line workers in South Lake Charles. Crews installed 77 new poles, straightened 61 poles and replaced 96 spans of wire. Today crews will work in the same area clearing roadways, preparing for future work.

Goosport – Damage assessment is 100% complete. Yesterday there were 624 Line workers in Goosport. Crews are dealing with heavy vegetation and downed trees. Yesterday crews installed 194 poles and replaced 373 spans of wire. Today crews will work in the same area clearing roadways, preparing for future work.

Lake Charles – Damage assessment is 100% complete. There are 590 Line workers focused on rebuilding transmission. Yesterday crews installed 84 new poles and replaced 134 spans of wire and 48 crossarms. Today crews will be working in the same areas clearing roadways, preparing for future.

Sulphur Area

Crews are currently restoring lines throughout the Sulphur Network, which includes portions of Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes.  The crews have replaced a total of 1,003 poles, 2,428 spans of wire, and is 37% complete. Entergy has secured a critical equipment laydown yard through the Safety Council of SWLA in Sulphur, which will increase the efficiency of crews in the field. Today, crews will continue to repair poles, spans of wires, and transformers in all locations in Sulphur Network.

Crews in field: Yesterday there was a total of 2,286 personnel in the Sulphur network working in the following areas.  All personnel are in Calcasieu Parish unless otherwise noted as Cameron Parish:

North Sulphur Area: Damage includes 489 poles replacements and 1,075 spans of wire of which 41% is complete.

Burton – 123 personnel

Hollywood – 116 personnel

Maplewood – 60 personnel

Trousdale – 283 personnel

Westlake – 131 personnel

South Sulphur Area: Damage includes 294 poles replacements and 476 spans of wire of which 30% is complete.

Butadiene – 39 personnel

Choupique – 161 personnel

Ellender – 123 personnel

Hackberry – 132 personnel (**Cameron Parish)

Sulphur – 111 personnel

Swisco – 71 personnel

Toomey/Starks Area: Damage includes 220 poles replacements and 777 spans of wire of which 41% is complete.

Toomey – 467 personnel (**Cameron Parish 231 personnel)

Starks – 449 personnel

Calcasieu Parish

In Calcasieu Parish crews provided disconnects for West CalCam Hospital to receive power from a generator. Crews conducted numerous disconnects today in Sulphur in support of customer and Entergy-led generation connections. Crews also worked on issues for numerous industrial customers clearing Entergy debris at Energy Transfer/Florida Gas in Vinton, Air Liquide, Enterprise Pump Station, Shell Pipeline in Sulphur, and Equistar in Westlake.

Jennings Area

Yesterday there were 22 Line crews and 25 vegetation crews in the Jennings network. Crews made considerable progress today as 473 customers were restored in Elton.  Crews also restored power to as many customers who could safely accept power in Fenton, Jennings, and Lacassine. Hurricane Laura caused massive damage to Entergy’s facility.  Yesterday crews replaced 53 broken poles, 13 damaged transformers, 308 spans of wire as well as cleared vegetation off two additional spans of wires. Today crews will work in Elton, Jennings and Lacassine.

NORTH LOUISIANA

North region as of 12 p.m. has 11,736 customers without power.  Laura caused widespread damages throughout the region which include 1,204 broken poles, 2,608 spans of wire down, 241 transformers, 1,510 broken crossarms, 601 services down and 497 spans of tree trim.  The region has completed damage assessments and are continuing the restoration process.  We have around 2600 total resources working in the north region restoration efforts and 1700 are line workers that continue to restore power in affected areas.

Network Information: Grayson – Columbia, Grayson, Olla, Tullos, Georgetown, Jena, Trout (Caldwell, Grant, Winn, LaSalle, Catahoula, Winn, Avoyelles Parishes)

There are 400 line workers in in the Grayson/Columbia network. Yesterday crews were able to get roughly 1,000 customers back on in the Columbia/Grayson/Olla areas. Today crews will continue to rebuild transmission and preparing distribution lines for when transmission is available. Crews will be focused on getting the highest number of customers on first.

West Monroe Area

Yesterday there were 1,156 Line workers in the West Monroe network. Today crews will continue to restore customers in all areas of Ouachita Parish. Areas in the city and parish that crews will be repairing today include:  Monroe, West Monroe, Calhoun, Sterlington, Richwood; Lakeshore Area, Caseville, Swartz area, Booker T; Town & Country, Jackson Street to South Grand, Sterlington, D’Arbonne Hills, Cheniere Drew communities in West Monroe (north and south of I-20), southwest Monroe (Coleman Street; South 5th Street, Montgomery Street) and the Calhoun area.

Jonesboro Area

Yesterday there were 60 crews in the Jonesboro network. These crews worked in Jordan Hill, Tannehill, Georgetown, Sikes, Goldonna, Old Saline Lake and Clay. Additional crews arrived yesterday and worked throughout Jonesboro, Winnfield, Dodson, Natchitoches and Lucky Bienville. Today crews will work in Winnfield, Montgomery, Jonesboro, Dodson, Calvin, Goldoni, Sikes, Quitman and Natchitoches. These areas were some of the hardest hit areas in North LA. 

Fort Polk Area

Yesterday there 21 crews in Fort Polk. Damage assessment is 90% complete. Damage included 120 broken poles, 200 spans of wore and 200 broken cross arms, of which 50% have been completed. Crews continue to rebuild transmission into the area. These critical customers have been restored:  Hospital, headquarters, about 2,500 homes and majority of the barracks.

Parish Outage Information:

SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

Allen Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  127

Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers that can receive power will be restored by 10 p.m. today.

Areas worked today: Elton, Jennings, Lacassine.

Beauregard Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  7

Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%

Estimated restoration: To be determined.

Areas worked today:  Central / East Lake Charles.

Calcasieu Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  88,117

Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%

Estimated restoration: Due to the damage to the transmission system restoration times are to be determined.

Areas worked today: Central / East Lake Charles, Elton, Jennings, Lacassine, Starks, Toomey, Sulphur, and Westlake.

Cameron Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.: 1,965

Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%

Estimated restoration: Due to the damage to the transmission system restoration times are to be determined.

Areas worked today:  Central / East Lake Charles, Starks, Toomey, Sulphur, Hackberry and Westlake.

Jefferson Davis Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.: 2,827

Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%

Estimated restoration: Due to the damage to the transmission system restoration times are to be determined.

Areas worked today: Elton, Jennings, Lacassine.

NORTH LOUISIANA

Bienville Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  772

Percentage of damage assessments complete:  100%; Damages in Bienville Parish include 14 broken poles, 11 spans of wires down, 47 broken crossarms and 1 transformer.

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Bryceland, Bienville, Lucky and Saline.

Caldwell Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  168

Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Working in all areas within the parish.

Claiborne Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  89

Percentage of damage assessments complete:  100%; Damages include 22 broken poles, 32 spans of wires down, 63 broken crossarms and 5 transformers.

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Working in all areas within the parish.

Grant Parish (Montgomery, LA)

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  1,018

Percentage of damage assessments complete:  100%; Damages include 14 broken poles, 31 spans of wires down, 14 broken crossarm and 5 transformers.

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Montgomery

Jackson Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.: 1,190

Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%; Damages include 198 broken poles, 467 spans of wires down, 273 broken crossarm and 34 transformers.

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored by 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Winnfield, Montgomery, Jonesboro, Dodson, Calvin, Goldoni, Sikes, Quitman and Natchitoches.

LaSalle Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  918

Percentage of damage assessments complete:  100%

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Georgetown and Jena.

Lincoln Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  211

Percentage of damage assessments complete:  100%; Damages include 22 broken poles, 30 spans of wires down, 57 broken crossarm and 6 transformers.

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Working in all areas within the parish.

Natchitoches Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  251

Percentage of damage assessments complete:  100%; Damages include 3 broken poles, 8 spans of wires down and 6 broken crossarms.

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored by 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Natchitoches.

Ouachita Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  2,396

Percentage of damage assessments complete:  100%; Damages include 389 broken poles, 831 spans of wires down, 144 transformers, 330 broken crossarms

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Monroe, West Monroe, Calhoun, Sterlington, Richwood; Lakeshore Area, Caseville, Swartz area, Booker T; Town & Country, Jackson Street to South Grand, Sterlington, D’Arbonne Hills, Cheniere Drew communities in West Monroe (north and south of I-20), southwest Monroe (Coleman Street; South 5th Street, Montgomery Street) and the Calhoun area. 

Union Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  315

Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%; Damages include 10 broken poles and 18 broken crossarms.

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Farmerville area.

Vernon Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  404

Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%; Damages include over 120 broken poles, 250 spans of wire and about 200 crossarms.

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Fort Polk.

We serve Fort Polk with two substations that we get power from Cleco transmission lines.  We have now been told by Cleco that they are trying to get transmission to the base by Monday night. But we will have the transmission line in by Tuesday.  Once we receive power from Cleco about 40% of the base will have power. Cleco is currently working on the transmission line to try to meet the deadline. The customers that can take power should be restored by September 4th.

Winn Parish

Number of outages as of 12 p.m.:  4,004

Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%; Damages include 144 broken poles, 466 spans of wires down, 131 broken crossarms and 34 transformers.  

Estimated restoration: The majority of customers who can receive power will be restored 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.

Areas worked today: Working in all areas within the parish.

Entergy has numerous crews in this area working to restore power. Much of this area from the substation is swampy and requires special off-road equipment. Transmission continues to work to get Montgomery to Winnfield 230 and Winn Prison to Winnfield line back online.

KEEP SAFETY TOP PRIORTY

There is no way to know if a downed line is energized or not, so if you see one, keep your distance and call 1-800-9OUTAGE (800-968-8243).

Stay safe and away from downed power lines and flooded areas. Do not walk in standing water and do not venture into areas of debris, since energized and dangerous power lines may not be visible.

Customers choosing to use portable electric generators should do so in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Customers must never connect a generator directly to a building’s wiring without a licensed electrician disconnecting the house wiring from Entergy’s service. Otherwise, it can create a safety hazard for the customer or our linemen working to restore power. And it may damage the generator or the house wiring.

STORM RESTORATION PROCESS

Following a storm, we deploy scouts to assess damage.  Our scouts work as quickly and safely as possible in sometimes very dangerous conditions.  As damages are assessed, we will communicate with you the conditions found along with an estimated restoration time and our progress toward restoring your power.  We can begin restoring service to customers by closing circuit breakers, rerouting power and other means, but we must wait until sustained winds are less than 30 mph to use our bucket trucks.  We ask for your patience, and please know restoring your power safely and quickly is our top priority.

As we assess the damage, we will begin restoring service where it is deemed safe to do so.

Your preparation is essential too:

  • Above all stay safe.  A personal plan for you and your family is the best way to stay safe and be storm ready.
  • Visit the Entergy Storm Center website for planning tools that can help guide you through the decisions you need to make.
  • Whether you shelter in place or evacuate, you should prepare to protect your home.
    • Decide to stay or go well before the storm strikes.
    • Basic emergency supplies and a first aid kit are key items to keep on hand during severe weather.
    • Visit the Entergy Storm Center website in advance for details on how to prepare for hurricanes and other types of storms.

We continuously keep our communities informed throughout a storm using the following channels:


Louisiana Editorial Team