JACKSON, Miss. – Nine communities in Entergy Mississippi’s service area will receive the company’s annual economic development grant to help boost business growth in their communities. The grants are awarded through the Excellerator Competitive Communities program, which helps communities within Entergy’s service area expand and attract new businesses and jobs.

This year, the program is awarding $70,000 in grants to support digital marketing, site development and economic development training. The recipients include the Greater Grenada County Partnership, Tate County Economic Development Foundation, Yazoo County Economic Development District, Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber, Natchez, Inc., Rankin First Economic Development, Vicksburg-Warren Partnership, Washington County Economic Alliance, and Jefferson Davis County Economic Development District.

“The communities we serve are strengthened when new industries choose Mississippi, and current businesses expand. This grant program is just one way we help influence growth in the state,” said Ed Gardner, Entergy Mississippi vice president of business and economic development. “This year’s recipients serve communities with plenty of potential for development, and we’re excited to see these funds help them succeed.”

Over nine years, the program has awarded over $670,000 to more than 20 Mississippi communities. The grants have assisted with strategic planning, site readiness, and marketing materials.

The selected communities may also leverage the grant when applying for state or federal site development assistance programs. By strategically partnering with Entergy Mississippi, economic development organizations are enhancing industrial sites and elevating their communities.

Entergy Mississippi’s economic development team works with communities year-round to help prepare them for growth. Learn more about Entergy Mississippi’s economic development efforts at .

About Entergy Mississippi

Entergy Mississippi, LLC provides electricity to approximately 459,000 customers in 45 counties. Entergy Mississippi is a subsidiary of ���ϳԹ���. Entergy produces, transmits and distributes electricity to power life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing for growth and improved reliability and resilience of our energy system while working to keep energy rates affordable for our customers. We’re also investing in cleaner energy generation like modern natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy. A nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship, we deliver more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to the communities we serve through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at  and connect with @EntergyMS on social media.

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Coldwater, Mississippi is home to one the state’s most earnest efforts to preserve wildlife and protect natural habitats – Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation Inc. and Entergy’s Environmental Initiative Fund will soon help the organization expand its facilities through a nearly $73,000 grant.

MWR plans to open the Valery E. Smith Nature Center – a free community resource which will be located at the organization’s existing wildlife hospital.

The center, named for MWR’s founder, will provide hands-on opportunities for visitors to learn about wildlife preservation and the organization’s effort to care for orphaned and injured native species.

“Entergy is excited to support Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation’s new effort to educate and connect visitors with conservation resources and native wildlife. For more than two decades, we have used our Environmental Initiatives Fund to invest in similar projects that promote environmental stewardship, and make lasting impacts on the communities we serve,” said Haley Fisackerly, President and CEO of Entergy Mississippi.

Key features at the center will include:

• Raptor Garden: Observe ambassador raptors up close in their newly designed enclosures.
• Native Plant Garden: Take a peaceful stroll through the garden, featuring a variety of Mississippi’s native plants which attract and support local birds and pollinators.
• Box Turtle Habitat: Witness the natural behaviors of box turtles in a dedicated habitat that mimics their natural environment.
• Interpretive Center: Enjoy live animal exhibits and interactive educational displays that offer insight into MWR’s mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and release native wildlife.
• Valery E. Smith Memorial: Learn about the history and founder of MWR.

“This initiative reflects our commitment to responsible stewardship of resources and demonstrates our readiness to operate and manage a larger, more ambitious facility in the future. By taking this step, we continue to build momentum toward our ultimate vision of expanding our capacity to save and protect wildlife,” said Mykl Wallrath, executive director of Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation.

The Valery E. Smith Nature Center is planned to open in 2025.

Since 2001, the Environmental Initiatives Fund has supported projects and programs that reduce emissions, protect natural resources, and restore wetlands and forests across Entergy’s four-state service area. The fund educates customers, employees, communities and owners on the value of natural resources and other environmental improvements.

In 2023, Entergy Mississippi helped secure $171 million in capital investments and create approximately 405 new jobs through announced economic development projects.

Site Selection magazine evaluates top utilities each year based on criteria such as job-creating infrastructure and facility investments, innovative programs and incentives for businesses and useful tools and data on their websites. The magazine’s profile of Entergy appears in the September 2024 issue, available both in print and .

“It’s an honor to be consistently recognized as a top utility in economic development. We work hard to uplift the communities we serve by leveraging resources and providing support, because we know that the success of our communities leans on their preparedness for growth,” said Ed Gardner, vice president of business and economic development for Entergy Mississippi.

In addition to partnering with cities and counties to secure new investment, Entergy Mississippi contributes to community growth by awarding grants to help make industrial sites more attractive to prospective companies.

Recently, Entergy Mississippi awarded five economic development organizations with Excellerator Competitive Communities Grants, bringing the program’s lifetime contribution to $587,000 across 20 counties. The grant program, now in its eighth year, helps county economic development organizations enhance their appeal to companies looking to expand or locate new facilities. The $47,400 awarded this year will help these organizations reach their marketing, strategic planning and site readiness goals.

Entergy understands that siting new or expanding industrial facilities can be a complex process. That’s why the company has not only built strong partnerships to drive economic development across its service area, but it has also created state-of-the-art site selection websites. The site, , provides businesses with essential information to help them locate, expand and market their commercial and industrial properties in Mississippi.

In addition to offering access to critical information, Entergy provides services in site selection, project management and more. Learn how Entergy can help power your business at .

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Nearly one out of five students at McRae Elementary has a recognized disability, which can make not only classroom activities but recess a challenge. Part of the mission of Entergy Arkansas is to address the needs for quality education across the state, and providing a grant to make the school’s playground more accessible was a natural fit for the Entergy Charitable Foundation.

“As a corporation, Entergy Arkansas invests in solutions and partners with nonprofits, schools and government organizations to provide opportunities and programs that create sustainable value and improve the quality of life for all our customers – young families, older Arkansans and everyone in between,” said Brandi Hinkle with Entergy Arkansas Corporate Social Responsibility. “We do this a number of ways, from providing grants and advocating for our customers to volunteering our time.”

The $5,000 grant will be used to purchase two pieces of inclusive equipment to make the playground more accessible for those with disabilities and allow their classmates to play together more easily as well. The pieces will include an Aro Spinning Chair, which is set at transfer height for those in wheelchairs and has a tilted seat and higher back, and a sensory bench. The Novo^® Playful Bench allows kids to sit, relax, engage their senses, play games, learn numbers, and practice language skills in a relaxed space while engaging with each other, their caregivers, or playing solo.

“Learning cooperation and how the world works around them are invaluable life skills that begin during play,” said McRae Elementary School Principal Heather Franks, “and an inclusive playground provides opportunities for children to interact face-to-face and use their imagination. By including a variety of options on the playground, there will be developmentally appropriate challenges that meet kids wherever they are at while letting them build comfortably on the skills they already possess.”

Across the company, Entergy’s Corporate Social Responsibility efforts are focused primarily on the broad pillars of poverty solutions, education and workforce development, and environmental programs. Additionally, the areas of healthy families, arts and culture, and community enrichment are part of the overall strategy to contribute to a society that is healthy, educated, environmentally safe and productive.

“Studies show more than 85 percent of adults with disabilities who report losing their jobs attribute it to a lack of social skills,” Hinkle said, “and that negatively impacts all of our workforce. Play is where we learn from each other and the more opportunities we create for that face-to-face play and social interaction, the more these life-long skills will be developed. We encourage other companies to invest in our children of all abilities to improve our workforce outcomes.”

Entergy Arkansas has awarded nearly $500,000 in shareholder profit and donations to scores of nonprofit partners in Arkansas during the better part of the year. Programs funded range from emergency response and relief services to scholarships and youth services, food pantries and community safety events. Entergy Arkansas employees clocked 29,000 volunteer hours in 2023 based on a goal of 25,000 and hope to meet or exceed that number this year.

To qualify for volunteer service and grants from the company, organizations must be:

• A public charity or private foundation that qualifies as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity.
• A state or local government, but only if the volunteer service/donation thereto benefits the public at large.
• A school, hospital, or religious institution that holds nonprofit status similar to that of 501(c)(3) organizations, but only if the volunteer service/donation thereto benefits the public at large.
• Certain tax-exempt war-veterans’ organizations, domestic fraternal societies and volunteer fire departments.

For more information about Entergy Arkansas Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, charitable grant applications, employee volunteerism and more, visit entergy.com/csr.

About Entergy Arkansas

Entergy Arkansas, LLC provides electricity to approximately 730,000 customers in 63 counties. Entergy Arkansas is a subsidiary of ���ϳԹ���, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy Arkansas, visit the and connect with @EntergyArk on social media.

The company has awarded $150,000 to Refill Jackson Initiative for their Refill Jackson Green Corps program, a new workforce training AmeriCorps program for young adults.

Over 5 months, participants will complete various projects to improve water quality and environmental conditions along the Pearl River’s watershed; remove debris and mitigate flood-prone areas in public parks and vacant properties; and clean up neighborhoods in West Jackson.

“We invest in the critical foundations of our communities like Refill Jackson Green Corps, to create thriving places to call home, now and for future generations,” Haley Fisackerly, President and CEO of Entergy Mississippi.

The Refill Jackson Green Corps also gives young adults the opportunity to earn construction credentials, a stipend, and water quality testing certification from Mississippi State University’s Extension Services.

“Refill Jackson Initiative seeks to be a good neighbor to our West Jackson community by pursuing projects that directly address the environmental concerns of West Jacksonians. Refill Jackson Green Corps will impart skills sought by employers while getting things done for and with Jacksonians,” said Caitlin Brooking, executive director of Refill Jackson Initiative.

Since 2001, the Environmental Initiatives Fund has supported projects and programs that reduce emissions, protect natural resources, and restore wetlands and forests across Entergy’s four-state service area.

The fund educates our customers, employees, communities and owners on the value of natural resources and other environmental improvements.

Entergy Arkansas submitted grant applications for the two projects through the DOE’s Grid Deployment Office grant program. The program pays for 30% of the costs of capital improvement projects with the goals of maintaining and enhancing existing hydroelectric facilities. The projects will help ensure Entergy Arkansas can continue generating clean electricity at the dams for years to come.

“Hydroelectricity is the largest supplier of renewable energy in power generation, and many of the assets across the industry are aging facilities,” said Braxton Bennett, senior plant manager for Entergy Arkansas. “Investing in the Remmel and Carpenter dams provides multiple benefits for Entergy and our customers. As safety is a top priority, these capital investments allow us to increase the reliability of our equipment used for generation and lake level control to ensure the public remains safe from the threats of flood conditions and allows for the continuous recreational use of Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine. They also allow for operations personnel to respond to grid conditions in a more agile manner with updated technology.”

The Carpenter-Remmel Grid Resiliency Project was awarded $978,138 to upgrade the control valves in both the Carpenter and Remmel facilities, upgrade and replace the Carpenter Dam’s programmable logic controller human machine interface system with an advanced control technology, and to collocate the Carpenter and Remmel facilities control system to an offsite location. Benefits of the project include the ability to start/stop the turbine units remotely, with little to no ramp up time, which will increase Carpenter-Remmel’s available power generation.

The Remmel Dam Safety Project was also awarded $1,877,216 to proactively improve safety at the Remmel Dam facility, including some concrete repair on the dam gate decks and installing a new remotely operated gate hoist. Being able to remotely operate the gate improves the operator’s ability to safely maintain water levels, adjust to changing river flows, and intervene during a major storm event — all of which help ensure the safe operation of the dam even in extreme weather conditions. This year marks the 100^th anniversary of Remmel Dam providing safe, reliable power to customers.

Funding for the projects comes from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is part of the first round of grants awarded to nearly three hundred hydroelectric improvement projects. Work on both projects is expected to begin later this year and expected to be complete within three years.  

These grants from the DOE are part of Entergy’s larger strategy to pursue state federal and state funding opportunity available to Entergy and our partners to support maintaining and improving the electrical infrastructure in our service areas.

“Receiving funding for large infrastructure projects helps reduce costs for customers,” said Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas. “This also allows Entergy to redeploy our capital dollars toward more projects across Entergy Arkansas so we can keep our electrical grid resilient and safe while providing additional value to our customers.”

Entergy Arkansas also has a grant application under consideration with DOE for funding for resilience and hardening projects through their competitive — in 2023, another Entergy operating company, Entergy New Orleans, was awarded $55 million in matching federal funds through the GRIP grant program. Entergy Arkansas is also awaiting the results of three applications to the program, which was funded through the BIL’s 40101(d) state . Both programs are expected to announce awardees this fall.

Our efforts to ensure that our communities receive a fair share of federal funding don’t stop with the programs for which Entergy is eligible as the direct recipient — we also work with external stakeholders to help them access funding opportunities beyond Entergy’s scope, such as the DOE’s for state governments and  program for HBCUs.

In addition to deep-cleaning sidewalks, planting flowers and performing general clean-up, volunteers donated and distributed more than $8,000 in school supplies and presented school leaders with a $20,000 grant.

The money will provide each classroom in grades 1-5 with eight Virtual Reality headsets and charging cases. A key benefit of using VR in education is the immersive learning experience it provides.

“We’re very excited to bring VR learning to our scholars,” said Principal Jocelyn Smith. “Virtual reality brings 2D objects to life and makes visualization a reality, enabling users to experience real scenarios or fabricated experiences over and over. Through tutoring and incorporating VR in our teachers’ everyday lessons, we anticipate VR helping our scholars maintain or gain proficiency on our state test, as well as district benchmark assessments.”

Entergy Nuclear adopted North Jackson Elementary School as its new Adopt-A-School partner in 2022. The school is about five miles from the company’s headquarters and is the largest elementary school in the north Jackson area. It serves approximately 430 students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.

“Strong communities provide a better quality of life for all who live there, so it’s important to us to give back to the communities where our employees and customers live and work,” said Kimberly Cook-Nelson, Entergy chief nuclear officer. “Our partnership with North Jackson Elementary is strong and provides us with opportunities for our people to volunteer in a number of ways throughout the year, from back-to-school supply drives, to judging science fairs, to reading, tutoring, and more.”

This was the third consecutive year Entergy team members have participated in the district’s annual event.

As an industry leader, Entergy has an opportunity to help develop future generations of the energy workforce by strengthening awareness and promoting the advantages of careers in our field. We are sharpening our focus, elevating different perspectives, and ensuring that everyone with the talent and desire has an opportunity to succeed.

A sustained path forward

We have an established history of working with educational institutions to develop a workforce that not only supports our own needs, but also bolsters the continued economic development of the Gulf South region. We live here. We work here. We raise our families here. What matters to the communities we serve and to our customers, matters to us.

That’s why we’re proud to continue our longstanding support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities with a 10-year, $20 million commitment to elevate and empower the institutions and their students through academic scholarships, facility grants and endowments, workforce development programming, internship experiences, access to resources and financial aid and generational wealth building.

Education creates opportunities for all individuals to realize their full potential, and, to that end, we understand the vital role that HBCUs play. We want to broaden the path to employment for HBCU students by ensuring they have access to resources and experiences, and also by closely collaborating with their educators and administrators to ensure they are equipped with the relevant skills needed for success.

Through this $20 million commitment, we hope to see our partner schools increase student retention, improve graduation rates and expand post-graduation job placement opportunities. For the students, their families and their communities, we look forward to outcomes like increased access to capital, improved household economic stability and better lifetime earning potential.

Building on our past progress

Our commitment to supporting HBCUs creates opportunities through education, career readiness and workforce development. Since 2018, we have invested more than $7.4 million in HBCUs in our service area for facility and curriculum improvements, technology upgrades, mentoring programs, research study collaborations, internship/co-op opportunities and more.

For example, at Southern University, the Entergy Scholars Program provides engineering majors with hands-on skills that prepare them for early career positions. And to close the gap between academia and industry, our Entergy Faculty Extern Program regularly invites STEM educators from regional HBCUs to participate in facility tours and job shadowing, which helps them better prepare their students for careers in energy.

Investing in students, and in our communities, is core to our values, and we know that education alone is not enough. We must also work to close the racial wealth gap. That’s why Entergy launched program in 2023. The program consists of two components: removing barriers to student success through a partnership with Single Stop, a national nonprofit that connects students and their families to resources and funding from local, state and federal sources. The second component of the program consists of a partnership with Stackwell Capital through which we will equip students with the knowledge, tools and resources – including seeded investment accounts – to build generational wealth, which is a foundation for economic stability, access to opportunity and long-term prosperity. By investing more than $700,000 in the pilot program, our shareholders are helping 1,200 HBCU freshmen in New Orleans unlock new opportunities.

Today, with this new $20 million commitment, we are able to expand The Power of Prosperity Program throughout our service area so that HBCU students across Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas will have new doors opened to them through our partnerships with Stackwell Capital and Single Stop.

Through these partnerships, our goal is to help students graduate on time, with minimal debt and equipped with an investment account and the ability to build wealth with intention. By investing in our HBCU students, we are investing in the next generation of leaders who will shape our communities, drive innovation and bring about positive change.

Looking ahead

An educated, skilled and diverse workforce is critical to Entergy’s long-term success, as well as the health and viability of the communities we serve. Empowering the HBCUs in our region is one of the best ways we can contribute to the quality of life in our communities.

Entergy also maintains partnerships with organizations such as the National Urban League, NAACP, the American Association of Blacks in ���ϳԹ���, National Society of Black Engineers and the Center for ���ϳԹ��� Workforce Development, which all work to foster diversity and create inclusive communities.

We also continue to collaborate with local leaders and federal policymakers to ensure that funding opportunities are prioritized and that there’s a regulatory environment conducive to growth. We’ll continue to fight for every dollar of federal funding that we can leverage to benefit our customers and communities.

I’m proud of the progress we’ve made so far, but there is more work to do. Entergy will enthusiastically take on that work to create new opportunities and forge this path forward.

and stay up-to-date with Entergy’s latest HBCU partnerships.

PORT ARTHUR, Texas – Entergy Texas is seeking federal grants for the second year in a row to improve the resiliency of the power grid in Port Arthur, Texas. In April of this year, the company updated its application for the U.S. Department of ���ϳԹ���’s Program and aims to secure funding for a $107.5 million infrastructure and electrical grid hardening project. If approved, the funds would help protect the power grid from extreme weather events, which have historically affected Port Arthur.

“The City of Port Arthur has endured numerous extreme weather events, including two of the most historic weather events in our country‚ÄïHurricane Harvey and Winter Storm Uri,” said Thurman Bartie, mayor of Port Arthur. “Since 2020, at least four major hurricanes have impacted our communities and caused widespread power outages. We’re thankful Entergy Texas continues to seek out cost-effective solutions to help strengthen the power grid and improve resiliency in our communities.”

The proposed project includes plans to strengthen 57 transmission structures, harden or underground at least 950 distribution structures, and pilot a self-healing microgrid solution to bridge short-term outages by interconnecting a utility-scale battery to an existing substation. These improvements are expected to benefit Port Arthur customers by reducing the duration of power outages following significant weather events by 257 million minutes and decrease future storm restoration costs by an estimated $74 million over the next 50 years. DOE is set to announce GRIP award winners this fall. Winning submissions will receive funding for half of the project’s cost, helping to maintain affordable rates for customers.

“We’re committed to balancing customer affordability with critical investments to strengthen our power grid, which is why we are fighting for every dollar of federal and state funding available to mitigate the impact on customer bills,” said Eliecer Viamontes, president and CEO of Entergy Texas. “Given that the Gulf Coast is home to world-class infrastructure, seven of the top 20 U.S. ports, and a growing industrial customer base, government investments in the resilience of Entergy Texas’ power grid would benefit the entire country.”

Entergy Texas applied for GRIP funding in 2023 for the same Port Arthur grid resiliency project but the application was not selected. The company’s 2024 application incorporates feedback from the DOE, and its employees continue to attend the agency’s energy justice-focused events to engage with community members, elected officials, utility board members, advocacy organizations, and local government officials.

Map of proposed Pear Ridge-Kolbs-Lakeview project site

The company intentionally selected the proposed Pear Ridge-Kolbs-Lakeview project site due to its potential to reduce the energy burden in a community where over 94% of residents are classified as “disadvantaged” according to federal guidelines. Further, this area includes the Bowers Civic Center, a major storm shelter during extreme weather events.

“Port Arthur is a central location for the U.S. petroleum industry, home to the largest oil refinery in North America and also multiple LNG export terminals,” explained Ron Burton, city manager for the City of Port Arthur. “The local workforce and resilient electric power are vital for these key industries, as any outages can have far-reaching impacts across the region.”

Entergy Texas has committed to delivering on the DOE’s Justice40 principles to ensure equitable access to affordable, clean energy. As part of the grid hardening project, the company has developed a community benefits plan and committed to establishing a Community Benefits Working Group comprised of core community partners to deliver benefits to the Port Arthur community, such as social services organizations providing financial services to low-income families, labor engagement, education, and job training programs.

In addition to pursing government grants, Entergy Texas is also seeking approval of Phase I of its comprehensive Texas Future Ready Resiliency Plan, which was filed in June of this year. Once approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the plan will benefit customers by decreasing future storm restoration costs by approximately $129 million and reducing the duration of power outages following significant weather events like hurricanes by 4.5 billion minutes over the next 50 years.

about the Texas Future Ready Resiliency Plan.

This year, the program is awarding nearly $50,000 in grants to support digital marketing and economic development training. The recipients include the Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Economic Development Foundation, Greater Grenada County Partnership, Natchez, Inc., Southwest Mississippi Partnership, and Jefferson Davis County Economic Development District.

“The communities we serve are strengthened when new industries choose Mississippi, and current businesses expand. This grant program is just one way we help influence growth in the state,” said Ed Gardner, Entergy Mississippi vice president of business and economic development. “This year’s recipients serve communities with plenty of potential for development, and we’re excited to see these funds help them succeed.”

Over eight years, the program has awarded more than $600,000 to more than 20 Mississippi communities. The grants have assisted with strategic planning, site readiness, and promotion.

Entergy Mississippi’s economic development team works with communities year-round to help prepare them for growth. Learn more about Entergy Mississippi’s economic development efforts at .

About Entergy Mississippi

Entergy Mississippi, LLC provides electricity to approximately 459,000 customers in 45 counties. Entergy Mississippi is a subsidiary of ���ϳԹ���, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than , Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy Mississippi, visit the and connect with @EntergyMS on social media.