Katrina

[strandinthewind]

Tuesday, August 30, 2005


Entergy outages: 1.1 million customers in La., Miss.

Tuesday, 5:19 p.m.

This is a news release from Entergy.

New Orleans, La. – Entergy today is beginning the process of assessing the extraordinary damage to its electrical system in Louisiana and Mississippi caused by Hurricane Katrina, the worst storm in Entergy's history.

Company officials said crews could take several days to fully assess the damage, and it expects a long and difficult restoration process due to the scope and amount of damage to its electrical system.

As of 5 a.m. today, Entergy’s electrical power outages from Hurricane Katrina peaked at nearly 1.1 million homes and businesses, with some 790,000 in Louisiana and more than 300,000 in Mississippi without power.

Entergy crews were able to restore power to some customers Monday night in areas that did not suffer heavy damage from Katrina. The company is expecting that additional outages could occur due to wet soil and occasional strong wind gusts.

The outage total already has more than quadrupled the previous Entergy record of 270,000 set only last month during Tropical Storm Cindy. The record prior to that was 260,000 in Hurricane Georges in 1998.

Entergy will first concentrate on restoring service in areas where it is not inhibited by flood waters or other obstacles. The company will work toward the harder hit areas as the company gains access to those areas.

Utilities in Florida that have been damaged by Hurricane Katrina have already brought together a large work force that normally would assist Entergy. Restoration for Entergy customers could be delayed until those workers complete the work in Florida and are released to Entergy.

Customers should be prepared for extended power outages. Severe damage caused by Hurricane Katrina to Entergy’s system could require weeks to rebuild. In addition, restoration may be hampered by flooding, blocked access or other obstacles.

Entergy crews and contractors are prepared to work long hours after the storm passes, restoring service to customers as quickly and as safely as possible.

All of the four Entergy System states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Texas, are contributing significant numbers of restoration workers to help restore service. While Entergy maintains sufficient personnel in the donor areas to handle emergencies, the company will be slower responding to regular business needs. Entergy sincerely appreciates its customers’ patience and understanding during this time of emergency.

Entergy follows a restoration plan that concentrates on getting service restored to essential customers first like hospitals, police, fire, communications, water, sanitary services and transportation providers. Then, Entergy crews turn their attention to making repairs to electrical facilities that will return service to the largest number of customers in the shortest period of time, then the next largest number, and so on, until power is restored to everyone.

Entergy has placed more people on the phones, more crews in the field and is providing frequent status reports to local news media to make sure customers are well informed. Entergy is recognized in the industry as having one of the best-trained storm restoration teams in the county. The company has a highly-recognized plan of action for emergency storm preparedness and restoration.

Entergy reminds customers to remain safe and stay 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.

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, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $10 billion and approximately 14,000 employees.

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakin...08.html#075212


ALSO

Closing levee breaches top priority

The Army Corps of Engineers was focused Tuesday on finding a way to close the levee breaches in the Industrial Canal and 17th Street Canal that have let waters pour into New Orleans, state officials said.

Col. Jeff Smith with the Louisiana National Guard said the Corps has informed the state that they are beginning to plan how exactly to fill the holes in the levee, which observers described as several hundred feet long.

Smith said the Corps might fill large cargo containers with a heavy substance, such as sand, which would then be plugged into the gaps. "It would be better than just sandbags," he said, adding that Corps officials haven't figured out exactly what they will do. He expected that work could begin later this afternoon or in the morning.

After a flight over the devastated region, U.S. Sen.
David Vitter said that he could see three breaches in the levees, including a 200 feet hole in the 17th Street Canal, as well as two separate gaps encompassing a total of about 500 feet in the Industrial Canal on the St. Bernard side.

The focus of state and federal agencies on Tuesday remained rescuing people who are stuck on rooftops or attics, surrounded by water and unable to escape. The state has begun moving people out of hospitals in downtown hospitals, including Big Charity, which Gov.
Kathleen Blanco called "out of commission."

Blanco said that while search and rescue operations continued that officials were also getting supplies to hospitals and people who sought refuge at the Superdome, which is receiving more residents as people are rescued. After officials have completed all of their rescue operations, they will begin to assess how to evacuate other people in the city who are in high, dry locations.

Bill Lokey, the federal coordinating officer for FEMA, said they would like to begin evacuating people who aren't in danger within a couple days.

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakin...08.html#075208