Thanks to partnerships between Entergy Louisiana and local governments, several Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants will be used to bolster the company’s electric infrastructure in multiple southeast Louisiana parishes. Separately, the company is awaiting decisions on two Grid Resilience and Innovative Partnerships (GRIP) grant applications for proposed grid hardening in the Baton Rouge and Reserve areas. These efforts aim to strengthen the grid, reduce storm-related damage and speed up restoration times, ensuring greater resilience for the state and its economy.
The need for grid resilience was highlighted by the recent impact of Hurricane Francine on southeast Louisiana. Although the storm disrupted electric service for thousands of customers, Entergy’s swift and safe restoration of power showcased the importance of a resilient electric system. A hardened grid not only brings normalcy back to communities faster but also aids the region’s economic recovery, helping businesses reopen and the economy restart more quickly.
“The Gulf South is a critical economic hub, home to major infrastructure, ports and industries that fuel both national and global commerce,” said Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana President and CEO. “By continuing to strengthen our grid, we’re ensuring that our communities, businesses and critical infrastructure can recover faster and at a lower cost after major storms. This benefits not only Louisiana but the entire country.”
Entergy Louisiana has partnered with several parishes over the past two years to apply for BRIC funding. Three of those parishes, Ascension, Lafourche and Jefferson, were selected by FEMA to receive grants that will benefit their communities. Here are details about the projects:
- Ascension Parish: A $39 million project to fortify nearly 60 miles of power lines, protecting around 5,900 customers and critical infrastructure, including a hospital, schools and government buildings. The project is expected to prevent 5.6 million hours of outages and save nearly $140 million in restoration costs over the next five decades.
- Lafourche Parish: A $25 million project to strengthen 16 miles of power lines, benefitting approximately 13,700 customers, including critical infrastructure like Port Fourchon and local government buildings. This initiative is expected to prevent more than 550,000 hours of power interruptions over the next 50 years, saving nearly $70 million in restoration costs.
- Jefferson Parish: A $27 million project to harden over 20 miles of power lines that will benefit over 10,500 residences, numerous local businesses and critical infrastructure, including several government buildings and facilities from law enforcement to drainage. The project is expected to prevent more than eight million hours of power interruptions over the next 50 years and save nearly around $165 million in restoration costs.
Entergy Louisiana’s pursuit of federal funding continues, as the company awaits decisions on two GRIP grant applications that could secure up to $67 million for projects in Baton Rouge or $54 million for projects in Reserve. These grants, provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, would fund half the cost of the projects, designed to reduce damage from storms, lower restoration costs and improve day-to-day reliability.
“Strengthening the grid for our customers is a top priority,” added May. “When we make these investments, we’re not only preparing for the next storm—we’re also ensuring a stronger, more resilient future for all of Louisiana.”
