Entergy Texas completes extreme weather improvements in Port Arthur
Entergy Texas finished off several infrastructure upgrades in Port Arthur to better protect it from extreme weather events.
The projects consisted of upgrades designed to be in compliance with the newly developed extreme wind guidelines. This involved replacing approximately 240 old utility poles, as well as replacing aging power lines with new wires, among other measures. The new equipment that has been installed is designed to withstand weather events such as a strong Category 4 hurricane.
“The reliability and resiliency that this project has brought to the city has been amazing,” Ron Burton, Port Arthur city manager, said. “The upgrades will assist The Port of Port Arthur, city departments, and Lamar State College Port Arthur. For the first time in years, the city was not affected by the recent storms and cold weather that normally caused outages.”
The upgrades were made in the downtown district along Proctor Street and Houston Avenue, as well as Lakefront Drive by Lamar State College Port Arthur.
“These upgrades will benefit customers by making the electrical system in the downtown district more reliable, reducing the risk of outages, and improving the overall quality of the electrical system to allow for additional growth,” Jeremy Flowers, Entergy Texas operations coordinator, said.
The project was originally expected to cost approximately $7.2 million. However, through strategic planning and collaboration with various Entergy Texas teams, the project came in under budget at $5 million.
