In some cultures, an eclipse has been explained as a mythic being swallowing the sun. In others, the phenomenon has been determined a cosmic response to mankind’s bad behavior. And in some folklore, an eclipse was attributed to an eternal romance between the sun and moon, whose occasional rendezvous stilled the heavens.

Whether an omen of impending doom or a celestial love affair, mortals have always observed the spectacle with rapt attention. And on April 8, as the path of totality for the 2024 eclipse crosses the United States, we will do so again.

Though science has now provided empirical answers to why and how an eclipse occurs, there’s still much wonder to be had when safely observing one. And Entergy employees will be on the job to ensure that our customers can fully enjoy that wonder – without worry about potential impacts to their electric service.

Made in the shade

“At Entergy Arkansas, we’re well-positioned with a diverse fleet of power generation sources,” noted John Schwegler, manager of operations planning in Arkansas. “We don’t anticipate any impact from our generation fleet that would affect customers’ electric service during this year’s event.”

Entergy’s Arkansas service area is directly in the path of eclipse totality. Solar energy accounts for less than 2% of power capacity for our Arkansas customers. While plant operators can’t know the exact amount of solar generation that will be impacted during the 3-minute total eclipse, other generation sources like natural gas, hydropower and nuclear will offset any dip in solar generation.

“It’s actually fairly normal for a solar plant’s output to reduce to almost zero for a few minutes at a time,” said Craig Richardson, solar asset manager. “This occurs regularly when heavy cloud cover passes overhead, for example.”

“At Entergy Arkansas, we’re well-positioned with a diverse fleet of power generation sources. We don’t anticipate any impact from our generation fleet that would affect customers’ electric service during this year’s event.”

–��John Schwegler, manager of operations planning in Arkansas

In those cases, as during April’s eclipse, Entergy’s power generation employees rely on the company’s diverse fuel supply mix to ensure customers don’t experience any service interruptions.

For example, our nuclear generation, including the two units at in Russellville, generate enough clean power to meet approximately 65% of Entergy Arkansas’ total demand. And, in addition to being unaffected by a solar eclipse, generating nuclear energy avoids the emission of greenhouse gases.

“Clean, carbon-free nuclear energy naturally complements renewable energy,” said Doug Pehrson, Entergy site vice president at Arkansas Nuclear One. “Nuclear energy is not weather-dependent. Nuclear power can be produced 24/7, 365 days a year.”

Taking a shine to reliability

That’s not all, though. Our Searcy Solar ���ϳԹ��� Center, which has a capacity of 100 MW, also boasts a 3-hour, 10 MW battery backup. This feature helps the plant combat the intermittency that can impact renewable power generation. The batteries store excess energy when the sun is shining. Then, during evening hours or under cloud cover, our customers can use the energy stored in those batteries.

“Our diverse generation mix and interconnected grid mean we don’t rely too heavily on any single source of generation to ensure the comfort and convenience of our customers,” added Schwegler. “A variety of options keeps our grid flexible and better able to respond to changing conditions.”

And that means Entergy Arkansas customers can dispense with the worry during this April’s eclipse – and focus solely on the wonder. Have a happy #EclipseDay!

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Reducing the environmental impact of vehicles would go a long way toward controlling emissions. But as electric vehicles go mainstream, some question if they really are as environmentally friendly as advertised.

The mix matters

It’s important to remember that an electric vehicle must be charged, and that power has to come from somewhere. So, your local utility’s fuel mix matters.

Customers in Entergy’s service area get their electricity from one of the cleanest large-scale power generating fleets in the nation. Our 2021 fuel mix includes:

• 10,508 MW of modern gas
• 6,425 MW of legacy gas
• 5,222 MW of nuclear
• 2,097 MW of coal
• 101 MW of renewables

And we’re not done yet. We’re working to reduce carbon emissions from our operations to net-zero by 2050. By 2030, we’ll reduce the carbon emissions rate by half compared to year 2000 levels. Learn more about our net-zero plans.

On the road

Experts broadly agree that, over the course of their lifetime, electric vehicles have a smaller carbon footprint than cars and trucks with traditional internal combustion engines.

In 2020, . After comparing unique factors for each country, scientists found that, over the entire life cycle of a vehicle, driving electric would “almost always reduce emissions” in the United States.

As the energy tech in electric vehicles continues to evolve and improve, and as more utilities green up their generating fleets, this calculus is expected to tip ever more in the favor of going electric.

But . . . batteries?

There’s more to an electric vehicle’s carbon footprint than its operation. What about the emissions and resources used to build it in the first place?

A dove into this question to learn more.

Researchers found that “the largest share of carbon emissions in the battery production process comes from the electricity used in manufacturing.” So, again, the fuel mix of utility suppliers impacts how green batteries are. The greener the mix, the greener the battery.

Currently, China dominates the electric vehicle battery market, producing the majority of the world’s supply. That’s notable, because China’s grid is largely powered by coal. Though this condition still results in an electric vehicle producing fewer emissions (over its entire life cycle) than a traditional vehicle, there’s clearly room for improvement.

Many auto manufacturers are brokering partnerships with other supplier countries, such as South Korea and Japan (both of which enjoy cleaner fuel mixes). In addition, the global auto industry is expanding battery manufacturing opportunities in North America and Europe to produce the greenest electric vehicle possible.

Reuse and recycle

Ok, so if we use a clean energy mix while charging our vehicles and manufacturing their batteries, we’re all good, right? Not so fast.

Electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries like those in your mobile phone, tablet, laptop, and power tools. Much like the batteries in these smaller devices, electric vehicle batteries contain rare earth metals that must be disposed of properly. So, what happens to all those batteries in about 10 years, when they must be replaced?

Mirroring the recycling programs for small electronics that now exist in many big-box stores, there’s a huge effort under way to meet this reuse-and-recycle challenge. Some auto manufacturers, like Nissan and Volkswagen, are already re-purposing these batteries in secondary applications within their own factories.

There are also promising early results in a showing electric vehicle batteries could have a useful and profitable second life as backup storage for grid-scale solar photovoltaic installations. As this role would be less demanding than powering a vehicle, researchers estimate the batteries could perform for more than a decade in such a capacity.

Lastly, some auto manufacturers are already recycling their electric vehicle batteries, though these efforts will have to scale up as more electric vehicles hit the road.

Adding up the evidence

When reviewing current independent research, the evidence is clear – over their entire life cycle, electric vehicles can make a meaningful difference in reducing global emissions. And that emissions advantage over traditional vehicles will only increase as technology, supply chains and recycling efforts mature.

If you’re interested in making the switch, Entergy can help.

Finding the answer takes a little math.

Adding up the electricity
Let’s start with electricity costs. Most consumers charge their electric vehicles at home in the evenings. In Entergy’s service area, residential rates are typically $0.08 to $0.10 per kilowatt-hour. This rate is well below the national average, so electric vehicle owners in the Gulf South region have a fuel cost advantage over drivers in other parts of the United States.

Most electric vehicles get 3-4 miles per kWh, and an average round-trip commute for our region is about 14 miles per day. So, a sample, conservative cost estimate would look like this:

14 miles / 3 miles per kWh = 4.67 kWh.
4.67 kWh x $0.10 per kWh = $0.47 to drive approximately 14 miles

Paying at the pump
The price of gasoline is always changing, and different vehicles get widely different mileage from a gallon of gas.��

As of this writing, the average price of a gallon of gas in the Gulf South is $2.79. If you were to fill up the roughly 15-gallon tank of the popular Toyota Camry at this price, it would cost nearly $42. (The Camry is an economical choice, as it gets good gas mileage – a combined average of 33 miles per gallon during a mix of city and highway driving.)

In this scenario, your 15-gallon tank would take your Camry almost 500 miles for that $42 investment in gasoline. An electric vehicle will take you 500 miles for less than $17. (You’ll likely need to charge it twice for that range.) Using our original example of average regional commute distance, driving a Toyota Camry 14 miles would cost you $1.16, more than double the cost of the same trip in an EV ($0.47).

If you fill up your tank or charge your electric car once every week or two, you can see how the savings begin to add up.

The charge for a charge
But there are other costs related to charging electric vehicles. To re-power your vehicle at night, you’ll need a charger in your home garage. Many electric vehicle owners opt for a Level 2 charger. Level 2 chargers use a higher-output 240-volt power source, like the one used by your oven or clothes dryer. Charging times are much faster than with a cheaper Level 1 charger, which makes charging more convenient and can also add to your home’s resale value.

If you install a Level 2 charger at your house, you’ll spend between $500 and $2,000 on the charger, related equipment and installation. These costs will be largely dependent on the charger you select and where you choose to install it. Many electric utilities also offer rebates or incentives for the purchase of electric vehicle chargers. (Unfortunately, this program is currently not available in Arkansas.)

Charging on the go
When they’re on the go, electric vehicle owners can also charge up at public stations. Rates at these stations range from completely free to a fixed hourly rate. Many electric utilities have teamed up with local partners to increase the availability of fast charging in their service areas, such as . And in some cases, as with the 10 electric vehicle charging stations we’re partnering with to build in Arkansas,

Switch and save
Over time, when total ownership cost is considered—including factors like purchase price, fueling costs, and maintenance expenses—electric vehicles come out ahead. The savings advantage can be compelling in the first few years and continues to improve over time.

The easiest and safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public display conducted by trained professionals. However, if you decide to put on your own show, follow these safety tips:

• Confirm that fireworks are legal in your area and that no burn bans are in effect before buying or using fireworks.
• Buy fireworks from reputable dealers, and store them in a cool, dry place.
• Know your fireworks. Read the cautionary labels and performance descriptions before igniting.
• Before setting off fireworks, make sure you’re in a wide-open outdoor area, staying clear of utility lines, vehicles and trees.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that don’t fully ignite. Wait 20 minutes, then soak them in a bucket of water before disposal.
• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Remember, sparklers burn at temperatures up to 2,000 degrees – hot enough to melt some metals, and definitely hot enough to cause a third-degree burn.
• Bring your pets inside. Loud noises and bright lights are frightening.
• Use television or radio sounds to mute loud noises indoors. This will help pets stay calm and comforted.

For more safety tips, visit the website of the��.

• Trained Workforce. Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas are right-to-work states with trained and diverse workforces boasting strong skills transferrable across industries. Not only that,
• Climate Designed for Business. Our regional, state and local leaders love business and industry and are committed to growing our economy. A favorable cost of doing business paired with attractive incentives have led to consistent business growth over the past decade.
• Central Location. It can be tough to make long distance relationships work. Luckily, our region is home to 11 deep-water facilities, six class-1 railways, 11 major interstate highways, and 24 international and commercial airports. We’re also the location of choice for seven Fortune 500 company headquarters: CenturyLink, Dillard’s, Huntsman, J.B. Hunt, Murphy USA, Tyson Foods and Windstream.
• Competitive Rates. Our electricity rates are among the lowest in the nation. We generate power with a diverse mix of nuclear, natural gas, coal and renewable power. We also run one of the cleanest large-scale generation fleets in the U.S, and we recently renewed our commitment to an even lower carbon future.
• Shovel-Ready Sites. Each Entergy service area coordinates with state and local officials on site certifications. Sites must satisfy a rigorous 50-point certification process. These include ownership and control clearances and preliminary evaluations related to environmental, utility and geotechnical conditions. Don’t like blind dates? Not to worry.

Interested in learning more?

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The dog days of summer have arrived in Entergy’s service area. But before you get your paws dirty, . Saturday is Aug. 11 (8/11 on the calendar), a good reminder to identify and mark underground utility lines before any digging project.

“On Aug. 11 and throughout the year, it’s important for homeowners and contractors to call 811 before digging to avoid the risk of striking an underground utility line,” said Rick Riley, senior vice president of distribution operations and asset management at Entergy. “It’s really the only way to know which utilities are buried in your area.”

Every hour, there are more than six damages to buried utilities because someone started digging without calling 811. Striking even a single line can leave you hang-dog, with the potential for injury, fines and outages. You may also be responsible for expensive repairs.

When contacting 811, homeowners, excavators and contractors are connected to their local one call center, which notifies the appropriate utility companies of their intent to dig. Professionals are then sent to the site to mark the locations of underground lines – including natural gas pipelines, electric power lines and other utility services – with flags, spray paint or both.

Every digging project, no matter how large or small, requires a call to 811. It’s the law. The depth of underground utility lines varies, and there may be multiple utility lines in the same area. Installing a mailbox, building a deck, erecting a fence, planting a tree or laying a patio? Don’t make a judgment call. Just make a phone call.

“It’s just as important to locate underground utilities as it is to keep your distance from overhead power lines,” added Riley. “Whether you’re a homeowner, business owner or contractor, don’t chance it and assume there isn’t a utility line below. Call 811 before you dig.”

Each state that Entergy serves has its own local 811 center. Visit the links below for information specific to your area.

Forget to call before digging? If you suspect utility damage of any kind, leave the area immediately and call 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) or 911.

Learn more about electrical and natural gas safety.

• He greased the wheels for fellow engineers. Born in 1844 in Canada and raised in the U.S., McCoy trained as a mechanical engineer in Scotland. He returned to America after the Civil War, but couldn’t find work as an engineer and took a fireman/oilman position with the railroad. His job was to oil the axles and bearings of the train when it stopped to keep it running smoothly. Putting his engineering know-how to work, McCoy automated the task by patenting a lubricating cup to evenly distribute the oil, allowing the trains to operate for longer time periods.
• “The real McCoy” could be his catchphrase. There’s debate over the phrase’s origin, but some say it emerged after Elijah McCoy’s lubricating cup became popular in the railroad industry. As the story goes, similar products became available, but companies preferred the original device and demanded “the real McCoy” over others in the marketplace.
• He made household chores simpler. Though many of his patents and inventions focused on lubrication systems, McCoy created two devices that make today’s chores more tolerable. He invented a portable ironing board when his wife wanted an easier way to iron clothes. He also created the automatic lawn sprinkler when he wanted a faster, easier method to water his lawn.

McCoy’s imagination and perseverance throughout his life and career helped change the world.

Entergy employees have that inventive spirit, too.����about how you can join us.��You can also��.��

• He was a newspaper man. Morgan wasn’t satisfied with the newspaper coverage serving the black community in Cleveland, Ohio. In the early 1900s, he started the Cleveland Call, which later became one of the most important black newspapers in Ohio. The paper eventually merged with the Cleveland Post and was published in both Cleveland and Columbus.
• He invented the three-signal traffic light. Morgan was one of the first black men in Cleveland to own a car. After witnessing a particularly bad accident at an intersection, he patented a three-position traffic signal in 1923. (Previous signals featured only “stop” and “go.”) This ancestor to today’s yellow light managed crossing traffic more safely. He later sold the invention rights to General Electric for $40,000.
• Firefighters thank him. Morgan patented a safety hood which offered protection to those breathing around smoke and harmful gases. It was a precursor of the modern gas mask. He traveled across America, demonstrating the hood by filling a canvas tent with noxious smoke, then entering the tent for 20 minutes. In 1916, Morgan used the device to personally save lives after a Cleveland Water Works explosion.
• He’s helped women everywhere have a good hair day. While creating a chemical solution to reduce friction on sewing machine needles, he discovered that the cream also straightened cloth fibers. Thinking it might do the same for hair, he tested it on pets, then himself. Shortly thereafter, he established the G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Company, which had enormous success selling the cream to African Americans.

Morgan’s unique way of solving problems has had lasting, positive effects. It also served as a basis for future developments and innovation. ��

Do you enjoy fixing problems? So do Entergy employees! If you’d like to join us, we can fix problems together! .��You can also .��

1. He was born during a lightning storm.

   Nikola Tesla was born in the wee hours of July 10, 1856, during a fierce lightning storm. According to family legend, midway through the birth, the midwife declared the lightning a bad omen. “This child will be a child of darkness!” she lamented. Tesla’s mother swiftly replied: “No. He will be a child of light.”

2. Cholera saved him from the priesthood.��

   Tesla’s father wanted him to enter the priesthood as a profession, while the boy loved physics and calculus. As a teenager, Tesla contracted cholera. He was bedridden for nine months, near death multiple times. Despairing, Tesla’s father promised to send him to engineering school if he recovered from the illness.

3. He lit up the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893.

   Tesla and the Westinghouse Corporation . On opening night, President Grover Cleveland pushed a button. Instantly, more than a hundred thousand incandescent lamps bathed the fairground’s neoclassical buildings in light.

   The lights outlining every building and walkway created the most elaborate demonstration of electric illumination ever attempted and the first large-scale test of alternating current. The fair consumed three times as much electricity as the entire city of Chicago.

4. He may have invented the Death Star.��

   In his later years, Tesla claimed to have perfected what he called a “death beam.” It was later discovered that U.S. government agencies had obtained some of Tesla’s work and possessions. During the next nine years, the research changed hands within the American government several times. In 1952, Tesla’s papers and possessions were released and returned to Belgrade, Yugoslavia, where a museum was created in his honor.

5. You can walk in his footsteps.

   The ��was built on the site of his last remaining laboratory in Shoreham, NY. It offers virtual and live programming for people of all ages. Its mission is to “embrace his bold spirit of invention, provide innovative learning experiences, foster the advancement of new technologies, and preserve his legacy in the Tesla Museum.”

Shocked yet? If not, you can see some live demonstrations of Tesla coils right in Entergy’s service territory.

The in Hot Springs, Arkansas, houses the most powerful conical Tesla coil in the world (a whopping 1.5 million volts)! In addition, the in Little Rock, Arkansas, is home to a huge musical bi-polar Tesla coil. This coil creates 250,000 volts of viewable electricity. By modulating the frequency of the lightning the coil produces, museum educators can play well-known songs on the device.

Both museums, which inspire our communities with the wonders of science, are grantees of Entergy.

.

On Sept. 7, the posthumously honored former Entergy employee Ann Pride with its Tony Anthony Member Unity Award.

Since 2011, this award has been presented annually to an individual whose body of work has generated substantial benefits to EEI’s utility members and customers.

“I can’t recall a member company employee whose identity and passion were as entwined with a single issue as Ann’s was with the ,” said Tom Kuhn, EEI president. “Her leadership on LIHEAP truly did embody the kind of unity and leadership this award seeks to recognize.”

Pride, who died on Feb. 21, served as Entergy’s director of federal governmental affairs. She’d worked in the company’s Washington D.C. office since 1991. Pride participated in LIHEAP Action Day since its inception and was instrumental in securing Entergy’s support and involvement in the annual observance.

“Ann’s passion for politics was matched only by her compassion for those in need,” said Patty Riddlebarger, director of corporate social responsibility. “She worked the halls of Congress tirelessly as a voice for the vulnerable – children, the elderly, the disabled and working families.”

Pride’s career involved collaboration with some of America’s most accomplished leaders, including presidents, vice presidents and members of Congress. Before joining Entergy, Pride worked for former U.S. Senator David Pryor. During her tenure with the company, she took a leave of absence to work on the Bill Clinton/Al Gore presidential campaign and to serve as press secretary for Gore.

Entergy Chairman and CEO Leo Denault accepted the award on Pride’s behalf.

“There are so many who owe Ann a debt of gratitude, a debt that can never fully be repaid,” noted Denault. “But it can be paid forward. Ann taught us well and has equipped us to continue her important work. And now it’s up to us to do so.”

Entergy’s corporate social responsibility efforts are rooted in the economic realities of the Gulf South. About 30 percent of Entergy’s 2.6 million residential customers live at or below the poverty line.

Since 1999, Entergy shareholders have invested more than $75 million to support programs and initiatives that help individuals and families break the bonds of poverty.

These efforts address both the unique needs of low-income customers as well as the broader societal implications of endemic poverty. Goals include increasing the flow of utility assistance funds, providing tools and education to help low income customers better manage their bills, and helping low income customers achieve economic self-sufficiency through programs with a proven track record of lifting individuals and families out of poverty.

Entergy’s investments improve life for the customers and communities we serve, and they are designed to ultimately end poverty in the region. Learn more about Entergy’s efforts to fight poverty.