Insights > Entergy System Hurricane Zeta Restoration Update – 11/3/20 @ 8 a.m.

Entergy System Hurricane Zeta Restoration Update – 11/3/20 @ 8 a.m.

By: Corporate Editorial Team

11/03/2020

Metairie, La.

Click here for damage and restoration photos

Our workforce has returned power to nearly 440,000 (91%) of our Louisiana customers affected by Hurricane Zeta.

The greatest danger after this type of storm remains downed power lines and electrical equipment. If anyone sees a power line or electrical equipment on the ground or in the trees or bushes -- do not go near it! Call us at 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243).

Customers choosing to use a portable electric generator should buy one only from a reputable dealer who can service and maintain the unit. Always use portable electric generators in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. More generator-use information is below.

Louisiana outage information as of 6 a.m. Nov. 3:

Estimated times of power restoration are available by clicking the red banner at the top of our View Outages website. Most remaining customer outages will be restored this week. Due to extensive damage, we expect outages will extend into the week of Nov. 8 for remaining customers, including those in Grand Isle, Golden Meadow, Venetian Isles, Braithwaite, Pointe A Lahache and South Lafourche.

Due to the volume of outages, there may be a delay in reflecting restoration status on the View Outages map, causing temporary discrepancies with the red/green lines. Restoration progress and estimated restoration dates are provided in the red alert banner at the top of the map and are updated twice daily. If power is restored in your surrounding area and/or an outage at your location is not displayed on the map, contact us to report your outage. To report an outage, call 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243), or, if registered, text OUT to 36778.

A workforce of 6,200 in Louisiana continues to restore service or is en route for customers whose power has been affected by Zeta.

Distribution damages to our system as of noon Oct. 31 included 2,747 poles, 573 transformers and 1,794 spans of wire damaged or destroyed.

On our transmission system, 27 of 32 affected substations and 29 of 41 affected transmission lines have returned to service at 8 a.m. Nov. 2.

Our crews, contractors and mutual-assistance partners are working long hours, restoring service to customers as safely and as quickly as possible.

Customer Information

Customers with property damage may require special action to speed their restoration:

• If your property has water damage, turn off the electricity at either the main fuse box or circuit breaker. Don’t step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker.
• Call a licensed electrician for advice when necessary. A licensed electrician’s inspection of your property’s electric wiring may be needed before Entergy can restore power to a home or business that has water damage from rain or flooding.

Customers who have a new advanced meter installed can check to see if their power is restored by logging into myEntergy. View “My Usage” on the dashboard. Select “hourly view” to see their most recent usage which is updated every four to five hours.

For customers without property damage:

• Property owners without hurricane damage should be cautious.
• Look for electrical system damage once power is restored. If you see sparks, broken or frayed wires, or the smell of hot insulation is noticeable, turn off the electricity at either the main fuse box or circuit breaker.
• Call a licensed electrician for advice when necessary. Don’t step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker.

Entergy cannot restore power to a location with a damaged meter base, conduit or weather head (the metal pipe extending upward from the structure with electrical cables inside). They must be repaired by a qualified electrician before Entergy can restore power.

Customer Safety

• The safety of our workers and customers remains our key value, especially during power outages and severe weather conditions.
• The greatest danger during and after a storm like this is from downed power lines and electrical equipment. If anyone sees a power line on the ground or in the trees or bushes—do not go near it! Call us at 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243).
• Entergy’s goal is to provide reliable electrical power at a reasonable price. But some emergency conditions may cause power outages that last for extended periods. Some customers may choose to use a portable generator during these times.
• If customers choose to use a generator, they should buy one only from a reputable dealer who can service and maintain the unit.
• Customers should always use portable electric generators in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• A gasoline engine usually powers stand-alone generators. Customers should use them only in well-ventilated areas. Never use a generator indoors as carbon monoxide from the exhaust is deadly.
• If the generator has panel-mounted electrical receptacles as part of the unit, appliances may be plugged directly into the generator.
• 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 Entergy’s linemen working to restore power. And it may damage the generator or the house wiring.
• Customers should use a licensed electrician to install the necessary equipment should they decide to wire a generator into their home wiring. The equipment should include a switch to transfer the power source between Entergy and the generator.
• The generator should be properly sized for the expected load. For example, a 3-kilowatt generator will produce 3,000 watts. This is enough power for a 1,200-watt hair dryer and a 1,600-watt toaster, with some power left over for a few light bulbs. Customers should plan for additional needs when sizing their generator.
• Customers should consider a generator’s noise pollution as part of their buying decision. The noise may be obtrusive to neighbors without power.
• Commercial customers should consult with an independent engineer or electrician to size the generator, modify wiring and provide for automatic transfer of power during an outage.
• Click here for more generator safety information.
• Customers should consult with suppliers, vendors and local electrical utility companies about required permits before starting any work in a home or business.
• For our natural gas customers:
  • If you smell natural gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and leave the area immediately. Do not operate electrical switches. Call the gas company from a nearby building and don’t re-enter until it’s safe to do so. For more gas safety tips, visit Entergy’s Storm Center.
  • Stay safe. Don’t use gas or electrical appliances that have been flooded. More flood safety tips are available here.
  • During storm cleanup work, don’t forget to call 811 before digging. It helps prevent accidents and outages, plus helps avoid damages to buried utilities. #Call811.

We caution customers to be aware of unscrupulous attempts to swindle our customers during Hurricane Zeta recovery.

• Entergy never demands immediate payment from customers over the phone. You shouldn't give your personal information to strangers.
• If a call sounds suspicious, hang-up and call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) to speak directly with an Entergy customer service representative.
• If you believe you are a victim of this scam, notify the proper authorities, such as the local police or the state attorney general's office.

Stay Informed

When restoration begins, customers may experience delays when calling our telephone centers, especially from unaffected areas, due to overloading of the system with outage calls. We encourage customers to use these other means to interact with us during restoration:

• Download our free app for your smartphone at entergy.com/app.
• Sign up for text alerts by texting REG to 36778 and have your account number and ZIP code handy. The registration pattern is as follows including spaces: REG (account number) (ZIP code). Once registered, text OUT to 36778 to report an outage. You can also report an outage online as a guest.
• Visit our View Outages page.
• Follow us on Twitter.com/entergy or Facebook.com/entergy.
• Call us at 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243).
• Follow updates in your local news media, like radio, television and newspapers.

Click here for damage and restoration photos

Tags

Storm Center  Entergy System  Hurricane Zeta 

Corporate Editorial Team