The same is true for our Entergy Arkansas lineworkers as they are the unsung heroes playing a critical role in maintaining the infrastructure that keeps communities running. Responsible for installing, repairing and maintaining electrical power systems, lineworkers endure challenging conditions, often climbing poles or working in bucket trucks to ensure electricity flows safely to homes and businesses. Whether responding to outages after severe weather or performing routine maintenance, lineworkers face the risk of high voltage and extreme heights daily. Their work is essential to modern life, guaranteeing that power systems remain reliable and resilient.

With all the hard work these lineworkers do to serve Entergy Arkansas customers, it is important to say “thank you” to these unsung heroes and show appreciation for their work. As a way of honoring our lineworkers and all they do for our company and our customers, Entergy selects a few each football season to be recognized as a “Lineman of the Game” at New Orleans Saints’ home games.

Entergy Arkansas lineman Evan Fraser, a journeyman lineman in the Hot Springs network, has earned the honor of being named Entergy’s Lineman of the Game. On Sunday, Sept. 19, Fraser will be recognized in front of thousands of fans during the matchup between the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles. He’ll be treated to a VIP experience, with on-field access and a special announcement before the game.

Prior to kickoff, all the lights in the Superdome will be lowered and Fraser will appear on the jumbotron showing him “flipping the switch” on the screen to light up the dome and power up the crowd for the home team as they take the field. He plans to bring his wife, Vesna, with him to the game to experience the sights and sounds of the roaring crowd.

“Evan goes above and beyond as a lineman,” said Jay Wallace, southwest region line supervisor for Entergy Arkansas. “We say that line a lot, but Evan truly goes the extra mile as he spends time outside of his working hours keeping the lights on for people to help customers understand the simple things like walking them through their bill to get a better understanding of it. He’s always customer focused and is well known in our community for the great job he does.”

Fraser has been a lineworker for Entergy Arkansas for more than eight years and came to work with the company after being an electrician in the Hot Springs area.

“The most rewarding part of my job is troubleshooting and fixing customers’ issues,” said Fraser. “Being a lineworker is tough and demanding, but it’s well worth it.”

Outside of work, Fraser enjoys spending family time with his wife and four children. When not attending football games, Fraser can most likely be seen cheering on his kids as they excel in their academics and sporting events.

Congratulations to Evan Fraser on this tremendous honor!

Entergy Arkansas is doing its part to protect the national bird from nesting on energized power poles and related equipment, which can be life threatening.

Recently, Entergy Arkansas partnered with Friends of Lake Ouachita and The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help provide solutions for wildlife in the area. As part of its Avian and Wildlife Protection Program, Entergy Arkansas provided its services to place three utility poles around Lake Ouachita National Forest for bald eagles to use for nesting.

“Within Entergy, we have what’s called an Avian Protection Program,” said Tasha Hill, environmental supervisor for Entergy. “This project is more on the proactive side of that program, where we are setting a utility pole with an eagle nest on top and a perch. What it does is it helps us to make sure that the wildlife is not interacting with our energized utility poles and lines.”

Bald eagles are known for their impressive nests, often built high in trees near large bodies of water. The nests are built with large sticks and lined with softer materials like moss, grass, and feathers. These birds exhibit remarkable fidelity to their nesting sites, with some pairs returning to the same location year after year.

Conservationists recognize the importance of providing additional nesting sites for bald eagles to enhance their chances of successful breeding. Constructing artificial nests, also known as eagle platforms, has become a popular and effective conservation strategy.

Lake Ouachita National Forest, with its sprawling woodlands, crystal-clear waters and diverse ecosystems, provides an ideal habitat for a variety of wildlife, including the awe-inspiring bald eagle. This vast expanse of nature offers the perfect combination of forested areas, expansive lakeshores and the tranquility needed for these magnificent birds to thrive.

“We’ve seen a lot of success from other projects across the country, but we couldn’t do it on our own,” said Josh Tyler, natural resource specialist at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lake Ouachita office. “We needed a partnership to help with our eagle habitat project and Entergy was the right one.”

Tyler went on to say bald eagle viewership brings in a lot of tourism to the area and the Corps wants to do everything they can keep them in the area.

Constructing eagle platforms involves creating sturdy structures high in the trees to mimic natural nests. These platforms are typically made from durable materials such as wood and are designed to withstand the eagles’ impressive size and weight.

“We’ve got three 60-foot poles installed as part of the project. One near the west side of Blakely Dam and one each at Big Fir and Little Fir campgrounds in Mt. Ida,” said Corey George, safety specialist for Entergy Arkansas. “Hopefully, over time, the eagles will nest here, and it gives them somewhere that’s clean, nice and away from our power lines.”

After donating more than 40 manhours to the project, the utility poles should last 30-50 years with proper maintenance, giving the eagles a nice home for many years to come.

“This project is a good way for our lineworkers to give back to the community,” said David Wasson, senior manager, regional distribution operations for Entergy Arkansas. “Our lineworkers were just as excited as everyone else involved in the project and it starts an increased partnership with the Corps of Engineers where we hope to do more in the future.”

Building nests for bald eagles represents a meaningful step in wildlife conservation, showcasing Entergy Arkansas’ commitment to maintaining reliability while protecting species at risk. It’s vital to remember that the efforts to provide suitable nesting habitats play a crucial role in securing bald eagles in Arkansas for generations to come.

March 31, 2023, is a date that will forever be marked in Arkansas severe weather history. On this date, the Little Rock, Jacksonville and Wynne areas were ravaged by deadly tornadoes that left a path of destruction in its wake and required complete rebuilding of people’s lives and the community.

As we mark the one-year anniversary of this tragic event, it’s a time to reflect on the challenges faced but also on stories of resilience and rebuilding. Among these stories is Entergy Arkansas’ commitment to not just restore power but to build back better, ensuring greater resilience for the community today and in the future.

The Impact:

The EF3 tornado that ripped through our community was a force of nature that spared little in its

path. With winds reaching speeds of up to 165 mph, it tore through neighborhoods, schools, worship centers and other familiar places toppling power lines and leaving thousands without electricity as parts of the electric grid were destroyed. More than 1,500 utility poles, 435 transformers and nearly 2,000 spans of wire were damaged or destroyed due to the tornado.

The destruction was swift and widespread as it uprooted trees, destroyed homes and shattered lives, leaving many residents homeless and businesses in ruins. The aftermath was a scene of chaos and despair, as families sifted through debris searching for belongings and emergency responders worked tirelessly to provide aid and support.

Immediate Response:

In the face of such devastation, our community banded together with unwavering determination to rebuild and recover. In the days following the tornado, volunteers from near and far descended upon these areas, offering their assistance and support.

Local government agencies, nonprofits and community organizations worked tirelessly to provide resources to those affected by the tornado. From emergency housing and financial aid to counseling services and debris removal, the outpouring of support was truly remarkable.

Entergy Arkansas mobilized its resources swiftly and decisively to help restore power to the community. Despite facing immense challenges, including blocked roads and hazardous conditions, crews worked around the clock to assess damage and restore power to affected areas.

Within 48 hours of the storm, Entergy Arkansas had restored service to 90% of its customers that could take service, and every school, daycare or church supplying services to the needy was able to open their doors. Everyone from customer service to power delivery teams, logistics and communications, supply chain and telecom and many others put customers and communities first.

Together, our focus was to bring a sense of normalcy back to our community amid chaos and uncertainty.��

Building Back Better:

Entergy Arkansas didn’t stop at merely restoring power. The company has always recognized the need to prepare for future disasters and continued its mission to build back better and strengthen our community’s resilience. This involved implementing innovative technologies, enhancing infrastructure and adopting best practices to mitigate the impact of future storms.

Crews rebuilt the electric system with upgraded wire, thicker and stronger wooden poles, and concrete poles in some areas, to harden system infrastructure and to make it more resilient. They also implemented the design change to vertically constructed framing.

Not only is vertical construction less expensive to build than horizontal framing, but it also involves less parts, creating less points of failure. It is easier for crews to construct and maintain vertical framing on the roadside of the structure and requires less room on the customers’ property for right-of-way. And when a storm hits, vertical framing is more resilient against mechanical damage as vegetation sheds limbs and debris, which allows for faster restoration time.

Several storms have impacted the same area since the tornado and the benefit of these upgrades are evident. This year, these areas have seen minimal outages from the ice storms in January and high winds in March. The damage sustained to the new section of line was easier to repair and required less work.

Specific benefits from the vertical framing were evident as crews were able to replace smaller components instead of entire poles. These minimal interruptions for customers help them have one less worry at a time when weather threatens.

In addition to technical efforts, Entergy Arkansas actively engaged with the community to promote awareness and preparedness for future emergencies. The company has conducted outreach programs to educate residents and municipalities on safety measures and emergency response protocols. By fostering collaboration and communication, the company has empowered individuals and neighborhoods to better withstand and recover from disasters.

Conclusion:

As we reflect on the one-year anniversary of the devastating tornado, stories of hope and rebuilding emerges, and Entergy Arkansas reaffirms our commitment to supporting our communities and to always build back better.

Success in our business is when customers never have to think about their power. Being taken for granted is the highest compliment we can possibly get. It takes the coordination of thousands of people, in multiple locations, working in unison around the clock – all to help minimize the effects for the communities we proudly serve.

Our weather today is more extreme than ever and sometimes, even our best planning and execution cannot compete with the strength and unpredictability of Mother Nature. But more times than not, Entergy Arkansas employees have weathered some of the most difficult conditions to keep the lights on for customers when they need it most. The improvements Entergy Arkansas has made to the electric grid in these areas and across the state will help achieve this goal.

As we look to the future, let us continue to learn from this experience and strive for greater preparedness, collaboration and resilience. Together, we can overcome any challenge and emerge stronger than before.

March 31, 2023, is a date that will forever be marked in Arkansas severe weather history, as tornadoes ripped through areas of Little Rock and Wynne leaving overwhelming damage to these cities. For one Entergy Arkansas lineworker, it’s a day remembered for another reason.

As thousands of lineworkers immediately went into action to restore power to customers in these areas, Entergy Arkansas Lineworker Matt Wilson was sitting in a doctor’s office awaiting results that would change his life.

Wilson is a senior lineman who has worked for the company in Harrison for nine years. He spends most of his days building new power lines or maintaining the hundreds of miles of lines the company currently manages.

One day, he was having trouble swallowing some food and didn’t think much of it. After a few days of this experience, he thought it might be best to go see his local physician. However, life took an unexpected turn when Wilson received a diagnosis that no one should ever have to face – cancer.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news that I had esophagus cancer. I would have never thought it would have happened to me.”

The news reverberated throughout the company’s northwest region network like a thunderbolt, leaving his coworkers stunned and heartbroken. Yet, amidst the initial shock and uncertainty, Wilson demonstrated a strength of character that was nothing short of inspiring. Determined to fight, Wilson underwent rigorous treatments, facing each day with unwavering courage and determination.

Over the next several months, Wilson underwent two surgeries to remove part of his stomach and esophagus along with six weeks of radiation five days a week and one day of chemotherapy a week. The overwhelming number of treatments caused Wilson to have to take short-term disability from the company for six months.

Family and friends would drive him two hours each way to his treatments in Fayetteville. Wilson’s coworkers would even chip in to help on their day off to drive him and sit with him as he underwent chemotherapy.

Knowing the journey would be hard, Wilson’s coworkers stepped up in other ways by hosting several fundraisers to help cover expenses.

“The way they saw Matt fight, his coworkers wanted to fight for him too,” said Glen Nelle, line supervisor for Entergy Arkansas. “We setup a golf tournament, fishing tournament, raffled off cornhole boards and even made hats to show our support. This whole process has been about being concerned for a friend and employee, to having the whole northwest region support him and his family.”

With the support of his family and coworkers, and after months of treatment and countless doctor’s appointments, Wilson finally received the wonderful news – he was cancer-free! The relief and joy he felt was indescribable.

“It was overwhelming to have all my coworkers support me the way they did. I can’t thank them enough for all the prayers, calls and just being there for me,” said Wilson.

The next step in the journey was to finally come back to work after being off for more than nine months. Returning to work after such a challenging journey was daunting for Wilson. Would he be able to keep up with the demands of his job because he lost 60 pounds of muscle mass? Would his coworkers treat him differently now that he was a cancer survivor? These were just a few of the questions racing through his mind as he prepared to return to the office.

However, any fears Wilson quickly dissipated as he was welcomed back with open arms by his coworkers. When he returned on Jan. 22, they greeted him with smiles, hugs and words of encouragement, making him feel like he had never left. The transition back to work was smoother than he could have ever imagined, thanks to the unwavering support of his colleagues.

In fact, the first day back he was in Storm Ready mode as Arkansas was experiencing bad winter weather. Thankfully, the system held up strong during the weather and didn’t experience any outages in his area.

“We are tickled to have him back,” said Nelle. “He is transitioning back well into his role and it’s like he never left.”

While there are still some steps in the journey to go for his recovery, Wilson is back to doing what he loves – helping to keep the community’s lights on. He’s grateful for his health and for the support of his coworkers who stood by him through thick and thin.

“It’s great to be back! As I ease back to work, it’s been amazing to see the support and get back to normal as I build my strength back.”

As Wilson continues to flourish in his career, he does so with a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude. He knows that he is stronger now than he ever was before, thanks to the challenges he has overcome. And as he looks towards the future, he does so with optimism and determination, knowing that he can conquer anything that comes his way.

Wilson’s story is a shining example of bravery and perseverance. His journey of triumph serves as inspiration to all, reminding us to never give up hope, even in the face of adversity.

This year, Entergy Arkansas celebrates its 110-year anniversary. As a vital part of Arkansas’ history since 1913, the company has come a long way since the early days. Now with more than 2,700 employees in Arkansas servicing approximately 728,000 customers in 63 counties, Entergy Arkansas is well established to be the premier utility company, meeting the needs of its customers.

To celebrate this milestone, Entergy Arkansas will feature a series of stories throughout the year that focuses on the history of the company. Kicking off the series, there is no better place to start than with the story of Flave Carpenter. No, not the Flavius Carpenter that Carpenter Dam in Hot Springs is named after, but his great grandson, Flave Carpenter.

In November of last year, Flave Carpenter retired from Entergy Arkansas after 26 years, essentially ending the family legacy at the company.

A history of Carpenters and dams

Entergy Arkansas’ story starts with Harvey Couch, an Arkansas entrepreneur who rose from modest beginnings and is regarded as the father of Arkansas Power and Light Company which was later named Entergy. Couch began exploring the possibilities of developing an interconnected electric utility system. Both Malvern and Arkadelphia had awarded franchises for citywide electric utilities, and in both cities, the utility companies were in decline. Couch proposed a partnership with Arkansas Land & Lumber Company, a large sawmill operation in Malvern, whereby sawdust and waste material purchased from the sawmill would be used for fuel, producing steam for two 550-kilowatt turbines to generate electric power.

As demand for electric power increased, Couch began formalizing plans for hydroelectric development on the Ouachita River and needed an advisor to help find the best locations to build dams to generate power. It wasn’t until he met Flave Carpenter that the two would help turn his hydroelectric power aspirations into becoming a reality.

“Sometime around 1910, thereabouts, my great grandfather met Harvey Couch,” said Flave Carpenter, former customer service manager for Entergy Arkansas. “My great grandfather was a U.S. Marshal at the time in the southern territory of Arkansas, and Harvey Couch had begun thinking about electrification.”

Since Couch started his first unit with the Malvern to Arkadelphia transmission line and burning sawdust to generate electricity, he wanted to utilize the Ouachita River as he transitioned to hydroelectric power.

“My great grandfather, in his dealings as a U.S. Marshal and chasing moonshiners and other outlaws through the Ouachita River Valley found three places that would be suitable to place hydroelectric dams,” said Carpenter. “The first was Remmel Dam, the second was Carpenter Dam, and then the third was Blakeley Dam.”

Remmel Dam is marking its 99^th anniversary this month. It’s the first major dam project on the Ouachita River and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on Sept. 4, 1992.

Carpenter Dam, the second dam that formed Lake Hamilton, was completed in 1932 and was named for Carpenter’s great grandfather because of his work with Harvey Couch on finding the locations for those facilities.

Carpenter legacy continues

Fast forward a few decades, and the second Carpenter – Flavius’ grandson, Flave Carpenter Sr., – contracted to work for Entergy as an economic developer in the 1980s. Then in 1996, Flave Carpenter, Jr. ��went to work at AP&L as a trade show manager to help recruit industries to Arkansas.

The youngest Carpenter said he had the opportunity to watch his father interact with employees of the company over the years as he worked with community and economic developers.

“Essentially from the earliest times that I can remember, there’s been talk about Carpenter Dam and how my great grandfather had a relationship with Harvey Couch up to the point that I started with the company.”

Carpenter later transitioned to being a customer service manager in Searcy for the company where he finished up his career. After helping thousands of customers and 26 years on the job, he felt it was time to move on to the next chapter of his life to give other people a chance to take up the mantle.

“One of the things that I’ve enjoyed most about what’s happened over the years with this company is we began in 1913 and we’re still around. We have continued to be a service provider to the customers that we serve. That proved to be a vital service. And as that changes day to day these days, with the demands of electricity, we’re able to stay out in front of that and we’re committed to doing that in a safe and reliable manner.”

When asked if his great grandfather would be proud of the work he has done with the company he helped form, Carpenter replied, “I think my great grandfather would be very amazed when you think about where they came from and now to see where we are, I think he’d be truly amazed at the speed with which we deal with people and how well we are able to satisfy their needs.”

As this chapter closes for the Carpenter family, the legacy they left the Entergy Arkansas family will carry over for many years to come as they have directly shaped the future of the company. This is something Carpenter will never forget as he rides off into the sunset.

“I would like to say thank you to the leaders of this company for giving me an opportunity to be part of this great company. They’ve taken such good care of me and my family. And I’m forever grateful.”

During each Saints home game this year, a well-deserving Entergy lineman helps power the stadium to get the crowd going for the home team. This game will be extra special as it will be Webb’s first time to watch an NFL game live in-person.

“This is a big shock for me,” said Webb. “This is an awesome opportunity and I’m excited to represent our lineworkers.”

Webb is a journeyman lineman working in the Forrest City office and has been with the company for almost three��years. During his time, not only has he been busy helping Arkansans keep the lights on, but he’s also helped with storm restoration in Louisiana during Hurricanes Marco and Laura.

“My favorite part about being a lineworker is helping customers get their lights back on and working with my crew,” said Webb.

Webb represents the northeast region on the Employee Engagement Committee. Each region gets one representative to share ideas with senior leadership to inform them what is going on in the field and how the team can improve.

“Ed has always been willing to volunteer his time to help the company and his fellow employees,” said Entergy Arkansas Line Supervisor Johnny Baker. “He shows good leadership skills and he’s very precise with his everyday work. This makes him very deserving of this award and achievement.”

Webb will enjoy two nights in New Orleans, a pre-game on-field pass to watch the players warm up, plus tickets to the game. He plans to bring his wife with him to the game.

When asked about what he looks forward to the most about this experience, Webb said, “I’m excited to meet new people with the company and to see the players warm up on the field. Watching a game live is going to be way better than on television!”

Congratulations to Ed Webb!

The boot camp is a 12-week Entergy training program that introduces new hires to the fundamentals of working with high-voltage electrical equipment and helps explain the key principle of safety as a core value. Trainees learn through classroom instruction and practice on real, but unenergized, equipment at Entergy’s Knowledge and Skills Training (KAST) Center in Clinton, Mississippi.

After graduation, awards are given to top performing trainees, which are chosen by the students and instructors based on their performance. During the summer session, two out of the four top awards went to Arkansas residents. Willie Brewster won the most improved lineworker award and Darion Laws was recognized as the best overall performer.

“This is a great achievement for Willie and Darion,” said Adam Effrein, director of distribution reliability at Entergy Arkansas. “I’m really excited to work with these guys in the field and watch the careers of all our new lineworkers continue to grow.”

“Winning the award was a total surprise,” said Darion Laws, lineworker apprentice for Entergy Arkansas. “My attitude has always been just to work hard and be myself. I’m very thankful to my instructors for giving us the opportunity to be hands on with the equipment and helping me become more knowledgeable about the job.”

After serving in the military, Laws was looking for a career change where he could put his hardworking mentality to good use. While attending Lineworker’s Boot Camp, he quickly realized this was the right place for him.

“I’ve always seen lineworkers as being the first responders to the community during a storm, so with my military background, this was a natural fit for me. I really enjoy helping others and what we do really helps people in their time of need.”

Last year, Entergy enhanced its lineworker training program with the opening of a����at the KAST Center, which serves as a high-tech training facility focused on new equipment and modern technologies. Training includes pole climbing, basic electrical theory, bucket truck use and first aid.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the participants and I’m excited to see their hard work pay off,” said Chris Elliot, supervisor of distribution learning and development at Entergy. “Our mission is to promote and support employee development and organizational effectiveness by providing high-quality standardized, industry leading educational learning programs. It gives me great satisfaction to provide the necessary training to employees for such a vital job.”

Boot camp is followed by a four-year apprenticeship before earning the designation of journeyman lineworker. The apprenticeship includes the paid-work component and the instructional component, where new employees acquire workplace-relevant knowledge and skills deemed necessary by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to become a certified lineworker.

When disasters occur, lineworkers average 16-hour workdays and must be generally in good health, because one key skill required is setting and climbing power poles. Every day functions include installing fixtures such as breaker boxes, switches and motor controls to generate, transmit and distribute energy safely.

Since graduating from Lineworker’s Boot Camp, the newest Entergy Arkansas apprentices have been busy maintaining power for customers experiencing extremely high temperatures, which causes heavy use on the electrical grid.

The trainees were hired to fill openings in their specific locations – usually their hometowns – throughout the Entergy Arkansas service territory. Sometimes crews assist in restoration efforts as part of reciprocal agreements with the company’s sister operating companies in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, as well as utility companies in other states when needed.��

Anyone interested in the program should search “apprentice” at����for position openings.

The newest team members and their work locations are:

Stetson Nix, Conway

Willie Brewster, Stuttgart

Jake Gregory, Malvern

David Thomason, Malvern

Darion Laws, Hot Springs

Landon Gray, Hot Springs

Noah Shields, Little Rock

Gage McCool, Little Rock

Brady Jensen, Little Rock

“Today’s a very exciting day for Tractor Supply and our team members,” said Hal Lawton, CEO of Tractor Supply. “We’re really honored to celebrate this day together as we hit the milestone of breaking ground on our tenth distribution center right here in Maumelle and Pulaski County.”

Lawton, along with Maumelle Mayor Caleb Norris and Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston, each recognized Entergy Arkansas for their involvement and support.

Once completed, the $128 million facility will be Tractor Supply’s largest distribution center, servicing more than 300 of its stores and creating more than more than 500 jobs.

“Thank you to the entire Tractor Supply team. Your confidence in Arkansas, your confidence in Maumelle, it’s shown by your investment,” said Preston. “You would not do this project if you didn’t have the confidence and belief in our workforce, our elected officials and our willingness and drive to get things done.”

The Entergy Arkansas Business and Economic Development team worked with the City of Maumelle and the landowners for more than three years to make the location a certified Select Site and legitimately ready for a future employer and customer.

The 121-acre site was full of opportunities – and challenges – to meet the expectations of a prospective company. It had been listed and shown – unsuccessfully – for several years before Entergy Arkansas became actively involved and worked through the necessary criteria with city officials and the landowners to certify the site.

“There were a lot of challenges in getting the site certified and in competing for the project. The groundwork Tandee White laid with our certified Select Site initiative coupled with Chris Murphy’s work on the certification and project recruitment were key determinants in Maumelle’s success. The responsiveness among our central Arkansas engineering and distribution operations team is really helping us deliver,” said Danny Games, director of business development for Entergy Arkansas.��

Tractor Supply was founded in 1938 and has evolved from a mail order tractor parts catalog into the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the U.S. with more than 2,000 stores in 49 states and more than 48,000 team members.

The retail industry has seen many challenges in recent years due to supply chain issues. The new distribution center will be a vital link for Tractor Supply’s supply-chain strategy to better serve its existing stores and future growth in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and surrounding states.

“As the wife of a farmer and someone who grew up on a farm, I know the importance firsthand of having supplies readily available,” said Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “Our farmers and ranchers in the state of Arkansas, a $23 billion industry, will have that certainty thanks to Tractor Supply.”

“We think Tractor Supply Company is a great fit for Maumelle,” said Norris. “I want to thank Entergy and their business development team. Without their process early on, this really wouldn’t have become a site that would have rose among the other sites that were being considered.”

The facility at Champs Boulevard and Jackie Burnett Drive is expected to open in late 2023.

The damages included dozens of broken and downed power poles, trees and limbs on power lines and some substation equipment. A lot of damage in residential areas has required specialty equipment to access electrical components – including many of the broken power poles – in back yards.

The damage severe weather can cause is unpredictable, and we thank you for your patience during this time. For the most timely and current information, view the����online, within the myEntergy app, and/or����for texts alerts.