Insights > Entergy Texas Preparing for Strong Cold Front

Entergy Texas Preparing for Strong Cold Front

01/19/2022

Entergy Texas is monitoring a strong cold front that could impact southeast Texas Wednesday evening through Friday morning. While the forecast is still uncertain, the front could bring thunderstorms and potentially a mixture of rain, freezing rain and sleet for parts of our region. Check your local weather source for the latest update. Entergy Texas crews and contractors are on alert and will be ready to safely restore power as safely and quickly as possible if needed.

Customers should closely watch the weather and prepare for any potential impacts from the storm. In advance of severe weather, customers should have a kit of basic emergency supplies and a family emergency plan ready.

The company understands how critical and essential its service is for customers. Since the February winter storm, teams across Entergy have taken steps to protect its power plants and infrastructure from the extreme winter weather. Entergy Texas has undertaken a significant review of its preparedness and protections against extreme conditions, developed a comprehensive plan to better protect its power plants from extreme cold and implemented improvements before the start of winter.  

The company hired a third-party consultant to help develop and enhance plant-specific processes and business unit procedures that implement the latest North American Electric Reliability Corporation winter readiness recommendations well in advance of required implementations. While the current forecast is not predicting another winter storm like Texas saw in February 2021, the company wants customers to know how it has prepared its infrastructure for winter weather. Learn more about the steps Entergy Texas has taken to prepare its power plants for winter.

Preparing for Winter Weather
As the company prepares for the possibility of winter weather, customers should prepare as well. Here are some tips to help customers prepare their home for winter weather:

  • Winterize your home by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic. Clear rain gutters. Repair roof leaks and cut away tree branches that could fall on a house or other structure during a storm. View a quick video for ideas for winterizing your home.
  • Insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers and plastic. Allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing. 
  • Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them.
  • Take care with alternate heating sources. During colder months, house fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking necessary safety precautions.
  • Learn how to shut off water valves in case a pipe bursts.
  • Have a licensed contractor check the structural liability of the roof to sustain unusually heavy weight caused from the accumulation of snow or water.
  • For more preparation and safety tips, customers can visit the Entergy Storm Center at entergystormcenter.com.
  • Monitor energy usage. The expected drop in temperatures could mean an increase in energy usage, which could impact electricity bills. The bigger the difference between inside and outside temperatures and the more consecutive days of higher or lower temperatures, the more energy customers use, which results in higher bills. Click here to learn more about saving energy and money during the winter months.

Stay Informed

Keeping customers informed before, during and after a storm is important to Entergy Texas. Here are some of the platforms we use to provide updates:

  • Update your contact information. Customers are encouraged to log in to myEntergy, to ensure their contact information is updated. If customers have trouble registering for myEntergy, click here for more information.
  • Download the Entergy App at entergyapp.com. Customers can use the app to report outages or check on the status of power at their home or business.
  • Entergy’s View Outages website includes maps that show where outages are located and gives information about restoration progress.
  • Register for outage text alerts through myEntergy. Customers should update their notification preferences to participate in text alerts. Customers also can sign up for text messages about storm and restoration efforts by texting REG to 36778.
  • The Entergy Storm Center website has storm safety, preparation and restoration information that is updated throughout the day.
  • Operation: Storm Ready Guide is a free downloadable guide that helps customers plan and prepare for weather emergencies.
  • Social media plays an important role in keeping customers informed. Follow Entergy Texas on Twitter at @EntergyTX and Facebook at

    facebook.com/EntergyTX


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Texas Editorial Team