Entergy Louisiana completes $100M grid upgrade

Entergy Louisiana has put the wraps on a $100 million grid upgrade project.

The upgrade covers about 900 square miles within Jefferson Davis Parish. It included the rebuilding of many existing lines as well as the construction of new transmission lines. The new and rebuilt sections use steel structures that can withstand winds of up to 140 miles per hour. They also feature reinforced high-voltage wire that will move power more reliably and efficiently. Approximately 58 miles of lines were added or upgraded.

The project also included the construction of a new substation located in Welsh, La. Further, five existing substations were modified to replace equipment such as protective relays and circuit breakers.

“This upgrade to our grid is part of our ongoing commitment to provide the reliable, affordable power required to support customer demand and drive economic growth in the region,” Phillip May, president and CEO of Entergy Louisiana, said.

Going forward, Entergy Louisiana plans to invest more than $4 billion through 2021 to modernize and strengthen Louisiana’s infrastructure to enhance reliability. Entergy Louisiana provides electric service to more than 1 million customers and natural gas service to nearly 93,000 customers in the greater Baton Rouge area. The company is a subsidiary of Entergy Corp.