Entergy has started periodic power outages for its customers in Texas. The company is taking this action as directed by our reliability coordinator, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, as a last resort and in order to prevent a more extensive, prolonged power outage that could severely affect the reliability of the power grid.
The unusual circumstance is the result of extensive damage to Entergy’s transmission system caused by Hurricane Laura in East Texas and West Louisiana and the anticipated high demand for electricity due to high temperatures.
MISO is directing actions to be taken to restore the system to normal operations as quickly as possible and will direct Entergy to stop the periodic outages as soon as the power shortfall no longer threatens the integrity of the rest of the electrical power system.
Entergy is also asking customers in its western area north of Houston to voluntarily reduce their usage of electricity, as directed by MISO.
Hurricane Laura damaged key transmission lines, conductors, wooden and steel transmission towers that could bring electrical power from the east.
Entergy has performed preliminary assessments to its transmission system and is working to restore the key lines that will alleviate the situation.
Some ways customers can reduce their electricity usage include:
- Raise the central air conditioner thermostat to 78 degrees. Window units should be adjusted accordingly.
- Use energy efficient electric ceiling fans and portable fans to circulate air and help occupants feel cooler.
- Close window blinds, drapes and curtains to reduce warming in the home from direct sunlight.
- Check the air conditioner filter to be sure it is clean.
- Delay laundering clothes, washing dishes, bathing, etc. until later in the evening or early morning. These activities produce moisture and increase humidity in the house, making the air conditioner work harder.
- Wash clothes with cold water, cook foods at the lowest possible setting, and resist the temptation to open the oven door while baking.
- Do not allow cooled air to escape from the home. Check caulking around doors and windows. Close the fireplace damper. Fill holes and gaps where wiring and pipes enter the house.
- Make sure your clothes dryer and attic are vented properly.
MISO comprises a pool of electricity generators and users that stretches from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, and as reliability coordinator is responsible for monitoring the portion of the electric grid it oversees and providing instructions to its members regarding actions needed to maintain reliability in that portion of the grid. In extreme and unusual circumstances, such actions may include periodic outages of the type occurring today.
some people are on breathing air and treatments, they should have been given warning so as to make arrangements
Prayers your way. Some people don’t understand that power is life for some people. God Bless!!
The warning was the hurricane. Rolling blackouts are nearly always an after effect. They are doing their best.
How long is this going to last I wasn’t in the hurricane nor was my county. I pay my bill to have lights. Is Entergy going to replace my food if I loose it for them cutting the electric off without warning? Plus my mom is on oxygen.
Are you serious, what self centered snowflake you are!!! Rolling electric will not thaw out your food, your Mom should have a battery pack for back up, if not I would suggest you run find one!!!
This is not rolling the power has been oof for five hours so who is the snowflake now
Wow and what kind of mean spirited witch are you Doris? This was very unexpected and many people who did not need to make prior arrangements are being affected. I have been through many of these storms and have never been affected by a rolling blackout. They turned it off with no warning of any kind, they didn’t post anything about it until they turned it off, and it is NOT a rolling blackout, it is a power outage.
Doris the power has been out in our area for more than 6 hours. It is over 80 degrees in the house pushing 90. It’s hard to breathe and we are healthy. We had no warning to prepare. There are people on our street in the area that have very serious health concerns and should have been warned to take proper precautions or make arrangements for family members with special needs.
Please do not judge a situation that you are not experiencing.
Hey Doris, get a clue. At the VERY LEAST they should have let us know. I understand there is a lot going on for the effected, but we were no way near the area and still no electricity after 4 hours and I DONT have the money to get more groceries. And the do spoil after several hours above 40. If I had been notified I could have gotten ice or out stuff in freezer where it does take longer to thaw. TOTAL MISMANGEMENT on Entergy’s part…THAT is what is shameful.
She is not a snowflake. She is a concerned citizen paying her electricity bill and and not receiving electricity. Mine was off 7 hours and I’m sure I will pay extra because the electricity will cost more to cool off my home. This lady probably has no means to purchase alternatives to keep her mom comfortable. So instead of bashing this lady why don’t you offer her your generator for her home? Or better why don’t direct your attention to the dumass electricity company . There was no warning that they were going to do that even though they knew way in advance . People could plan in advance what they could to help their families.
So now don’t you think you made a complete fool of yourself? Think about it idiot!!
Would be nice to know what times these are going to occur and for how long…
They just shut ours off in my area with no warning. I drove all the way to my house because power still showed it was on, wasted gas because no warning was given.
This is ridiculous. You have to give us warning of when it will happen and how long it will last. Maybe you’ll understand how pathetic this is with regard to customer service when you have to settle out of court because you killed someone on oxygen due to no warning that they would lose power for a significant amount of time out of the blue.
What about our funeral home refrigeration? I mean couldn’t they have given us some type of warning that this was happening?
People have pets in small homes that can’t survive this BS, if nobody is there to open the windows.
If it’s scheduled, we should at least know how long they last…
I’ve lived here for years. No rolling blackouts from Rita, Ike, Harvey or any other storm I’ve heard of. I think this is poor planning or incompetence. Rolling blackouts, even in the People’s Republic of California or that third world city of New York, time the blackouts and inform the customers when they are not going to have power. Ive never heard of six hr plus of no power. Entergy has the capability of texting all of its customers at any time. Why wasn’t anyone notified.
Offering solutions to your problems. You can buy a generator, solar panels, wind turbines, battery backup with an inverter, or a Motorhome. This may not help but I share your pain having to depend on someone else to supply my power but the only one I have to blame for this is myself.
Save your frustration and get off the grid now.
You’re insane
We live in the country outside of Plantersville. How are the farmers and ranchers who live acres and acres apart using so much energy that they have to shut us off without any warning? When we lose power, we lose everything including septic systems, wells and the ability to care for horses and livestock, especially at night. EVERYONE deserved the courtesy to prepare in advance for the blackout and an estimate of how long it would last. We were out for eight and half hours.
I live between Anahuac and Liberty TX. Every time we get a hurricane or an outage we are the very last and i mean last ones to get lights..most times 10-15 daysat least….these light companies should be accountable for lose of food fuel for generators but guess what my bill is the same even if my lights were off for 15 days…yep same as a 30 day bill..
For 3 days I got text from Entergy telling me they were prepared for the storm. So much for being prepared. But my biggest complaint is that for 3 days prior to the storm I got text after text, But today at 5:15pm my house went dark, no electricity. Have I received a single text from Entergy explaining the situation….that would be a big fat NO. Did I get a text telling me in advance this was going to happen.? Again that is a big fat NO. So in the future don’t waste my time sending texts about how prepared you are for a storm and focus on sharing information that has meaning. By the way we are not living in a 3rd world country but it feels that way tonight. What a mess!!!!
I did expect a text because you’ve done that all along so I am disappointed that I didn’t get one to let me know what I need to do with power of this long.
Is there an alternative to Entergy that does not have Louisiana exposure?