In our 100-year history of providing reliable and affordable power to Mississippians, no area has a chapter in our story like that of the Rex Brown Cooling Pond. The chapter, which we’ve officially finished by returning the property back to Jackson Public Schools, played a critical role in keeping the lights on for thousands of homes and businesses.

Commonly known to the community as Lake Hico, the Rex Brown Cooling Pond was created in the 1950’s to supply a pipeline from the Pearl River to Entergy Mississippi’s (formerly Mississippi Power & Light)��. This pump system allowed us to safely recirculate water to the plant and continue generating electricity at Rex Brown until the plant’s retirement in 2019.

Older Jacksonians might recall fishing, or even taking a dip in the body of water. That’s because up until 1960’s environmental laws were enacted, industrial cooling ponds could coexist as recreational facilities. Similarly, in 1961 MP&L adopted��hard hats��as essential gear for line workers. The focus on the safety of worksites and communities clearly took a turn for good during that decade.

Though the plant sat on Entergy property, the cooling pond was on 16^th��section land, managed by JPS. Without the cooling pond the plant’s 71-year legacy could not have been, and for that we are thankful for a decades-long relationship as a tenant to the school district.

When we made the decision to retire Rex Brown and invest in more modern, reliable power generation, we knew that closing the plant would make Lake Hico an attractive site for future community or economic development. So, with the approval of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, we got to work on a plan to appropriately close the lake and return the land to its original state.

We’ve imploded what was left of Rex Brown, so that it wouldn’t be an eyesore or safety hazard. We’ve drained the lake and completed soil testing to ensure its safety for future use. We’ve even updated fencing, so the land is secured while its destiny is decided.

Recently, JPS has held community forums to gather suggestions on what the next phase of Lake Hico should be. No matter the final decision, Entergy Mississippi eagerly looks forward to serving the development in its new Northside Drive home.

Thank you, Lake Hico, for once being our home too.

No matter what happens over the next few days, we stand storm ready. Most important is the safety of those living and working in communities where Francine will strike.��Then, restoring power is the top priority and first order of business. The restoration process is done in an orderly, deliberate manner. We assemble and organize the workforce needed to restore service safely and quickly to all customers.��While we already have additional resources on the way and are strategically positioning restoration workers, it’s important to remember that hurricanes can cause severe damage inland and lead to extended power outages.

Thanks to the reliability work and grid improvements we’ve completed, along with our normal year-round storm preparedness efforts, we are ready to respond. As with any storm, we know there will be challenges. Saturated grounds and high winds are expected in parts of our service area hardest hit by last year’s drought, which , particularly off right-of-way trees that may uproot or fall and damage our electrical equipment.

Customers should prepare before severe weather threatens the area. Making sure you have a family emergency plan and a kit of basic supplies are smart ways to prepare. If you or your loved ones depend on life support or other that requires electricity – or refrigerated medications – it is especially important to be prepared for unplanned, extended outages. While crews are dedicated to restoring power, we advise customers to have a backup system and plan in place for relocating or providing a backup power source should power outages or other emergencies occur.

You can learn how to make an emergency kit, stay informed and download the app, and get important safety tips for before and after the storm at the . The most dangerous part of a storm is often just after it has passed. Hazards are all around us following severe weather – from downed electric lines and equipment, vegetation and other debris, personal generator risks or flooding dangers. Stay away from downed power lines and areas of debris. Energized lines may not be visible among the rubble. Report downed lines immediately by calling 800-9OUTAGE (800-968-8243). Don’t walk in flooded areas or standing water. Remember that wet tree limbs can conduct electricity.

Our teams are resilient and so are our communities. I know that we will rise to any challenge that comes our way. We appreciate your patience and encourage you to watch for updates on the , our social media channels and local media outlets.

Thank you,
Haley Fisackerly
President and CEO
Entergy Mississippi

When we say, ‘meet customers’ needs,’ we’re not only talking about having generation to meet the load that will come with the growth. We’re also talking about building clean energy, efficiently.

I recently had the pleasure of sitting on a panel at the Amazon Web Services Summit in Washington, D.C., and it was clear that having AWS as a customer will allow us to both explore new grid strengthening technologies and continue leading our industry peers in sustainability goals as this new energy era emerges.����

As the world’s largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy, Amazon places high emphasis on sustainability. Amazon recently met its goal to match all of the electricity consumed across its operations with 100% renewable energy in 2023, and the company remains committed to its Climate Pledge to become net-zero carbon by 2040.Comparatively, Entergy was the first U.S. utility to set a voluntary greenhouse gas emission goal in 2001. We’re also striving to achieve 50% carbon-free energy capacity by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. With these aligned goals, we’re quickly working on clean energy projects to support AWS and prepare for more growth from companies alike.

Why is this important? As I told the room in D.C., new clean energy technologies that have been sitting on the shelf are expected to be practical at the utility scale in the near future. Bringing on a customer like AWS is allowing us to move closer toward improving the energy grid with those innovative technologies for the benefit of all our customers, current and future. Yes, solar energy is clean, carbon-free generation and we’re adding 650 megawatts of it to our portfolio to support AWS.

But combined cycle generation is a clean technology we’re also focused on to support the grid and our customers; it’s efficient and has the capability to convert to hydrogen and enable carbon capture and storage technology. Along with the clean energy provided by Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, we’re looking at a more diverse energy generation portfolio – which will help us reduce future environmental and market risks. Together, our investments in clean energy don’t just help the environment, they help our communities prosper. And, they help keep customers’ bills lower than they otherwise would be in the future.��

Intelligent infrastructure

While we work to unlock those new generation options, we’re tapping into grid enhancing technologies that allow us to deliver power you can count on and be more resilient during increasingly extreme weather events. Artificial intelligence and predictive modeling is helping us identify and make equipment repairs before they’re needed. ��

We’re also using temperature-adjusted ratings in real-time, and collecting data through sensors and devices, to anticipate when ambient temperatures may impact the flow of power. Operators are using that data to reroute power to other existing circuits to minimize impact to our customers.

As we collect more data, AI is going to accelerate our understanding of how we can more efficiently deploy energy and unlock more renewables and opportunities. I boldly believe there will be a day when electric utilities are able to tell customers they will never lose power.

Changing the landscape

As I sat on that panel in D.C. beside AWS’ Vice President of Public Policy for the Americas, Shannon Kellogg, and ACORE’s Senior Vice President of Policy and Engagement, Lesley Hunter, we agreed that data centers are changing the energy landscape.

Is there enough land and electricity? That’s the question driving decisions today about where data center companies will locate facilities or expand operations. With the help of supportive communities and regulators, we’re optimally situated to provide that speed.��Entergy Mississippi is a key economic development partner in recruiting new business to the state. That translates to jobs and investments right here in Mississippi communities.

We were at the table with AWS five years before the announcement of the company’s historic planned $10 billion investment, and our confidence in the strength and durability of our pipeline is high. This will be a record year for the number of requests we’ve received for interconnection studies. That’s important because it’s our first indication that a customer is serious about locating to our service area.

One of the biggest and most stable markets for data center investment is the Gulf Region. We caught a big fish, but it’s only the beginning. The transition to electrification and cleaner energy will not only reduce carbon emissions, but will also lead to onshoring of jobs, increased tax revenue, investment in educational programs, and a better quality of life in the communities we serve.����

I am proud to say that Entergy Mississippi took a leading role in helping our state land tech giant Amazon Web Services (AWS) – which was announced last month as one of the , totaling 1,000 new jobs and $10 billion in new investment. Entergy was one of the first to talk to AWS about locating one of their largest data center campuses in Mississippi. In what was a five-year process, we worked closely with AWS, the Mississippi Development Authority, Governor Reeves and the Mississippi Legislature, who passed and signed key legislation over the last several years that helped make Mississippi an attractive choice for the company.

Entergy Mississippi employs a team of economic development professionals who travel the Southeast, the U.S. and the world recruiting large industrial prospects to Mississippi along with the jobs and economic activity they generate. Working together with state, local and federal officials, Entergy Mississippi’s economic development team has been a part of recruiting not only AWS, but some of the biggest job-creation projects in Mississippi history, including Nissan, Continental and Milwaukee Tool among others.

Entergy Mississippi is an important player in Mississippi’s economic development efforts and the reason is simple: the cost, reliability and source of electricity is one of the most important factors for companies when deciding where to locate a facility and create jobs. Thankfully for our service area, Entergy Mississippi’s low rates, strong reliability rankings and diverse mixture of nuclear, natural gas and renewable power has given Mississippi a big advantage in industrial recruiting in recent years. In addition, our state has been fortunate to have the Mississippi Public Service Commission, which has valued the important role power plays in economic development in many of their regulatory decisions.

Bringing a large company like AWS to Mississippi not only creates new job opportunities for our customers and their families, but bill reduction opportunities as well. Most large industrial customers use a lot of power…sometimes the equivalent of what thousands of residential customers use. When Entergy Mississippi recruits any large power user to our service area, existing customers benefit because those companies share in the cost of the power generation and infrastructure, which lowers the cost for everybody else. In other words, an Entergy Mississippi customer in the near future could get a new, higher-paying job at AWS and also see savings on their future power bills because of their new employer, too.

Entergy Mississippi linemen are recognizable and respected in our communities because of the great work they do for our customers after storms. But even though they may not be as visible or well-known, the men and women on Entergy Mississippi’s economic development team also deserve credit from our customers and communities for the great work they do every day to create new jobs and economic success for Mississippi.

Over more than a week, Entergy Mississippi and our customers experienced an unprecedented series of severe storms, tornados and unusually high winds that caused the largest outage in our service area since Hurricane Katrina. This event saw scores of fast-moving storm cells with 80+ mph winds cutting a widespread path through our entire service area. ��This treacherous weather also came day-after-day, sometimes through the same areas repeatedly. The damage was so extensive that our power grid lost half as many poles, wires and transformers in one week as we lost from all storms in 2020, which was one of our worst storm years in recent history with four hurricanes and two tropical storms.

This created a worst-case scenario for power restoration, and it was a heavy lift. Our crews were forced to restore in an incredibly large area, stop work in mid-restoration as new storms kept re-appearing, and sometimes restore the same lines again after new storms caused new damage. It was almost a week before crews could work in a day with no new storm cells creating new damage. Making matters worse, securing additional crews from neighboring states was initially difficult because those states saw similar extensive damage.

Nevertheless, our 2,300-strong workforce from Mississippi and six other states did incredible work. All told, these heroes restored power to nearly a quarter of a million customers – half of our entire customer base – since June 10. They replaced or repaired over 600 poles and 121 miles of power lines in a matter of days – the distance from Jackson to Grenada! And they did it not in a straight line but winding through neighborhoods and rural areas in 34 of our 45 counties from the Tennessee to the Louisiana borders. I truly wish all our customers could have gotten a firsthand look at the great work our people and our partners did in getting their power on as quickly and safely as possible.

We know those customers who had their power out for several days were frustrated – and we were, too.�� I can assure our customers that when the power goes out NOBODY wants it to come on faster than the men and women of our company. We know how much our customers depend on the electricity we provide, and that’s because we are customers, too. Over the last week Entergy Mississippi employees have been without power themselves or had elderly parents, children, loved ones, friends or neighbors who were without power in the middle of a hot, humid June. That is why we take our responsibility personally and work so hard during these weather events.

Given the level of destruction to our facilities and the weather conditions, Entergy Mississippi’s response was good. However, we always want to work hard to try to make it perfect next time. That is why after every outage we evaluate our work to see where we can improve for customers. We know customers were frustrated by receiving less communication from us than they have become accustomed to, and we will be taking a hard look at the performance of our systems that provide that critical information. While those tools do not restore power, I know firsthand how important they are to customers as they make decisions for their families.

Despite their frustration and discomfort during the outage and restoration process, I was touched by the stories from our crews who told me about customers with no lights or air-conditioning who took the time to thank and encourage them while they worked. On behalf of all the employees of Entergy Mississippi, I want to express our thanks to our customers for their patience during this difficult weather event and challenging restoration.

And, I want customers to know that regardless of the severity of future storms that sweep through our state, the men and women of Entergy Mississippi will always do what it takes to keep powering your lives.

Over more than a week, Entergy Mississippi and our customers experienced an unprecedented series of severe storms, tornados and unusually high winds that caused the largest outage in our service area since Hurricane Katrina. Scores of fast-moving storm cells with 80+ mph winds not only cut a widespread path through our entire service area, but came day-after-day, sometimes through the same areas. Our power grid lost half as many poles, wires and transformers to weather in one week as we lost in all 2020, which was one of our worst storm years ever with four hurricanes and two tropical storms.

This created a worst-case scenario for power restoration. Our crews were forced to restore in an incredibly large area, stop work in mid-restoration as new storms kept re-appearing, and sometimes restore the same lines again after new storms caused new damage. It was almost a week before crews could work in a day with no new storm cells creating new damage. Making matters worse, additional crews from neighboring states were unavailable initially because those states saw similar extensive damage.

Nevertheless, our crews and contractors, 2,300 strong, did incredible work. All told, these heroes restored power to nearly a quarter of a million customers – half of our entire customer base — in a week. They replaced over 121 miles of poles and power lines in a matter of days – the equivalent of building a new power line from Jackson to Grenada! And they did it not in a straight line but winding through neighborhoods and rural areas in 34 of our 45 counties from the Tennessee to the Louisiana borders. I truly wish all our customers could have gotten a firsthand look at the great work our people and our partners did in getting their power on as quickly and safely as possible.

We know those customers who had their power out for several days were frustrated – and we were, too.�� I can assure our customers than when the power goes out NOBODY wants it to come on faster than the men and women of our company. We know how much our customers depend on the electricity we provide, and that’s because we are customers, too. Over the last week Entergy Mississippi employees have been without power themselves or had elderly parents, children, loved ones, friends or neighbors who were without power in the middle of a hot, humid June. That is why we take our responsibility personally and work so hard during these weather events.

While Entergy Mississippi’s response to this extreme weather was good, we always want to work hard to try to make it perfect next time. That is why after every outage we evaluate our work to see where we can improve for customers. We will be taking a hard look at the poor performance of our online outage app. Many of our customers were frustrated with the lack of information on the app during the outage and the inability to get restoration estimates. We need to make that product work better for customers. While an app does not restore power, I know firsthand how important that outage information is to customers as they make decisions for their family.

Despite their frustration and discomfort during the outage and restoration process, I was touched by the stories from our crews who told me about customers with no lights or air-conditioning who took the time to thank and encourage them while they worked. On behalf of all the employees of Entergy Mississippi, I want to express our thanks to our customers for their patience during this difficult weather event and challenging restoration.

We have been here for some of the most remarkable moments in our state’s – and the world’s – history. Entergy Mississippi has been alongside our state at its very best:

• Keeping a fan circulating to cool off B.B. King as he learned to heat up a guitar in the middle of a Mississippi Delta Summer.
• Powering electrical surgical equipment for the world’s first heart transplant at University Mississippi Medical Center.
• Energizing stadium lights for Jackson State’s Walter Payton as he launched a Hall of Fame career.
• Illuminating a desk light for Eudora Welty as she wrote her Pulitzer Prize winner.

We’ve been here during some of the most difficult and tragic times, too. I can imagine that as Medgar and Myrlie Evers were pioneering the civil rights movement in Mississippi, we were there with them. We kept electricity flowing as air conditioning cooled an auditorium where Medgar organized civil rights boycotts and as kitchen appliances in their home produced meals to sustain their bodies and minds while they advocated for their neighbors and worked to change the world.

Because of Medgar Evers

We can’t tell Mississippi’s history – or learn from it – without the Evers family. The National Park Service recently designated their family home during the which commemorated the 60th anniversary of Medgar Evers’ assassination at his home on June 12, 1963. Courage and justice indeed. I can think of no one else as courageous and passionate about bringing equality and justice for all Mississippians than Medgar and Myrlie Evers.

Entergy has contributed to this noble undertaking, but our contribution actually originated from Medgar Evers himself.

Because of the work of Medgar Evers, those locked out of the voting booth in Mississippi were able to join the political process and begin changing laws.

Because of the work of Medgar Evers, Mississippi companies began responding to those laws and hiring more people that looked like Medgar Evers.

Because of the work of Medgar Evers, those same people began to influence the policies and practices of Mississippi companies.

And because of the work of Medgar Evers, those Mississippi companies began contributing their resources to more diverse and disadvantaged communities in our state.

I am profoundly humbled that Entergy Mississippi is part of this important and historic project. It’s something that would have been unheard of in this state 60 years ago without the work of Medgar Evers.

Medgar Evers’ life and legacy has come full circle. Yes, just last week we stood on the grounds of what is now a National Monument to dedicate a house. But really, we were honoring the home that Medgar Evers laid the foundation for in this state with his own two hands. It is a beautiful and spacious home, made of equality and justice, that is open to all. For generations to come, may all who walk through its doors take a moment to honor its builder.

��

Advancing the Evers’ legacy

Over the last century, Entergy and its employees have been here to volunteer, bring jobs to Mississippi, sponsor cultural pursuits, offer a helping hand, provide a strong voice for progress and be leaders in the communities we serve.

We continue to lift up our communities today as a proud partner with the Trust for Public Land and the National Park Service to preserve the and honor their contribution to our nation’s continued progress toward racial justice and equity.

Our $100,000 contribution is made possible through Entergy’s Social Justice and Equity Fund, which advances social justice and equity for historically underserved communities across Entergy’s service territory. The Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument is the second major grant awarded through the fund and the first in Mississippi.

The fund supports organizations that foster diversity, equity and inclusion through civic engagement and education, as well as support for initiatives that advance economic mobility and equity for individuals from historically underserved communities.

The Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home is a landmark of national importance. Its preservation will enable current and future generations to learn about the civil rights movement and its heroes like Medgar and Myrlie Evers who dedicated their lives to creating a more just and equitable society for all.

On behalf of the 2,500 Entergy employees who live and work in Mississippi and all our employees throughout the region, we are honored to support the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home in its mission to “educate, empower and inspire every American to stand up, get involved and join together to create a better life for all.”

Last week, I toured parts of the Entergy Mississippi service area that were devastated by the recent tornado outbreak, including Rolling Fork, Silver City and Winona. It was destruction that I have never seen in my time at Entergy or in my personal life as a Mississippian. It was an emotional day as I also met with families who have been left homeless, community leaders who are faced with the overwhelming task of rebuilding, and survivors who told heartbreaking stories of loved ones lost forever.

I was grateful to witness the effort of our heroic crews who have been working tirelessly to restore power to the community’s homes and businesses as quickly and safely as possible. One of the residents I spoke to was an Entergy employee who lost his parents in the storm and was combing through their destroyed home looking for belongings. He reminded me of the resiliency of our people, no matter the environment.

Amid the destruction, the humble strength and positive outlook of these remarkable Mississippians and their determination to remake their world lifted my spirit. To help them at the beginning of this hard road to recovery, Entergy shareholders have made a to support their relief efforts in Mississippi. In addition, Entergy employees are making personal contributions that our company will be matching. We want our customers to know our slogan — “We Power Life” — is about more than providing electricity. After the cameras leave and the focus moves to the next event, we are still a long-term partner to the communities we serve.

Entergy Mississippi marks its 100^th anniversary this month, and we have certainly seen our share of natural disasters. But in every aftermath, we’ve also seen Mississippi share what they have with those who need it most. It’s why we’re hopeful for the Mississippi Delta’s future and prepared to serve them in more ways than one.

At Entergy Mississippi we think a lot about the future. Why? Because we are not only tasked by the State of Mississippi with providing you power today, but also with having plans in place to ensure you have safe, reliable and affordable power years from now.

Much like turning a large ship at sea, the massive and complex grid infrastructure required to provide you with 24/7 power cannot be turned quickly. So we watch for changes on the horizon to get ready for what’s ahead. A power plant being constructed today is designed to meet customer power needs a decade from now. It takes years of coordination and planning by thousands of people any time we make major enhancements to the grid.

That is why we are planning in 2023 for things we think will impact our customers in 2033. Two of those are: how will we serve the needs of today’s growing electric vehicle market; and how will we diversify our power generation for a future of potentially more volatile natural gas prices in a global economy?

Regardless of what your personal vehicle preference may be right now, most major auto companies have publicly stated their plans to offer more electric vehicles in the future. Some predict that by 2030, as much as half the U.S. car market will be electric vehicles. At Entergy, we must start planning for car charging infrastructure today. If we wait, Mississippians will not be able to consider half of the new vehicles in the future car market because they will only be able to charge those vehicles at home. Furthermore, if Mississippi remains a car charging “desert,” out-of-state EV owners will be unwilling to risk making visits through our state – depriving Mississippians of tourism dollars.

To learn what kind of impact widespread use of public and home charging systems will have on the power grid, Entergy Mississippi has filed a state plan to pilot a handful of charging station sites in Mississippi now – in January 2023. We hope to learn how different charging station models, frequency, time-of-day and locations might impact the grid. When the day comes for privately-owned, commercial charging stations at gas stations, shopping centers, city downtowns and other convenient places for Mississippi consumers, Entergy Mississippi will be ready to serve them reliably and cost-effectively.

We are also looking at where affordable power will come from in the future. Entergy Mississippi has long had a diverse, “all of the above” approach to generating power. Like most utilities, we have historically relied on a fleet of natural gas and coal-fired plants to generate the bulk of our electricity. Our customers have also benefitted from the low cost, zero-emission nuclear power generated at the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson.

However, worldwide inflation and international conflicts doubled natural gas prices over the last year and more volatility is expected. Also, recent environmental regulations and transportation disruptions have made burning coal for electric generation unsustainable. These developments have prompted utilities to further explore renewable energy to fill the void in coming years.

With a generation portfolio that is more than 60% natural gas, customer bills rising as a result and few other diversification options available today, Entergy Mississippi has turned to large solar projects as a way to keep costs down for customers – last year. The company will add about 500 megawatts of solar power to its portfolio by 2026 and plans to add another 500 megawatts by 2027. While we recognize that solar energy is not a 24/7 power source, it can complement our existing generation sources and help keep bills affordable.

There is also an ancillary benefit to this renewable energy diversification: economic development. Many large corporations now require a certain amount of the power serving their facilities to be emission-free. When our state is recruiting large, job-creating economic development projects to Mississippi, officials can now tell these companies that emission-free nuclear and solar power are both available in Entergy-served areas – giving Mississippi another advantage in creating new jobs in the future.

Whether it’s preparing for a coming storm next week or anticipating the impact of a new technology next decade, Entergy’s 2,500 utility and nuclear employees in Mississippi are always looking ahead. All of us wish you and your family a happy and healthy 2023, and a bright future beyond.

Like many utilities across the country, Entergy Mississippi relies heavily on natural gas. Unfortunately, the cost to buy that natural gas has more than doubled over the last year. Entergy Mississippi has no control over what we are charged for natural gas, and we do not make a profit on those transactions. Our company has already reduced our natural gas power generation by investing in Grand Gulf Nuclear Station and building new solar power plants, and we continue to look for ways to diversify our fuel sources. However, more than half of the electricity Entergy Mississippi generates for its customers still comes from power plants that run on natural gas. And these persistently high natural gas prices will raise customers’ power bills beginning this fall and going into 2023.

Entergy Mississippi not only wants to alert our customers in advance when we see factors beyond our control raising power bills, we also want to give them the tools and resources needed to manage these bills. That is why we are spending nearly $3.2 million in shareholder dollars to launch “Operation: Bill Assist” – the largest bill assistance program for customers in our company’s history. The effort provides between $150 to $1,000 in direct bill payment help from our company to Mississippi families who need help paying their power bills. This includes older adults, those who are disabled and customers who do not qualify for government assistance.

The program also provides a free home energy efficiency tool kit valued at more than $35 to every customer who wants one. The kit includes LED light bulbs, an advanced power strip, a kitchen faucet aerator and other tools that can be easily installed in a home immediately to shave real dollars off customers’ monthly power bills. In addition, customers can go online and find information about free home heating and cooling audits and other online tools users can take advantage of for even more savings. Experts estimate that customers employing all the kit-included and online tools available can save as much as $300 a year on their power bill.

We will keep our customers informed at as we begin releasing more details in the coming weeks about how customers can apply for this bill help or request a home energy efficiency kit. If you do not inquire yourself, I hope you will consider sharing the information with family, friends or neighbors who might be struggling and need help.

Our company is proud that our rates over the years have remained below the U.S. average. However, many of our more than 2,700 utility and nuclear employees in Mississippi are Entergy customers, too, and understand how price increases can impact hard-working Mississippi families. For that reason, please know that Entergy Mississippi is committed to stepping up and doing everything we can to help our customers when they need it most.