Entergy restores power to 60 percent of customers one week post-Ida

More than a week since Hurricane Ida came ashore in Louisiana as one of the strongest storms to ever strike the United States, Entergy reported early Tuesday that power has been restored to 60 percent of the 948,000 total customers who lost electricity.

At the peak of storm damage, 697,000 outages were reported in Louisiana, 205,000 in New Orleans alone and 46,000 across Mississippi. While all customers in Mississippi have had power for several days, Entergy and out of state partners have now restored electricity to a combined 525,000 customers between New Orleans and the larger Louisiana region. New Orleans is moving a little faster in that regard, with 73 percent of affected customers now back online, while 54 percent have been restored throughout Louisiana.

Electric companies have mobilized more than 27,000 workers from at least 41 states and the District of Columbia to fix the damage, which Entergy said was worse than hurricanes Katrina, Ike, Delta and Zeta combined – at least in terms of poles damaged or destroyed. Tens of thousands of poles, wire spans and transformers were crippled by the storm. 

As of Sept. 6, 188 of 226 affected transmission substations have been returned to service, along with 151 of 211 affected transmission lines. Approximately 700 miles of transmission lines remain out of commission, the company said. 

“We have made significant progress in getting the lights back on for our customers in spite of all the challenges we are facing,” John Hawkins, Entergy’s vice president of distribution operations, said in a statement on Sept. 6. “Our crews are encountering massive damage – particularly in the hardest-hit areas. We have assembled a storm team of nearly 26,000 people who will not stop until the last light is back on.”

Presently, the company predicts that it will have all areas restored by no later than Sept. 29, even for the hardest hit areas.

“I want to thank our customers for their patience as we work to restore power to our communities,” Hawkins said.