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.

What does natural gas have to do with my electric bill?
Customer bills include the cost of fuel purchased to generate electricity at those plants as well as the cost of power purchased from others. Entergy Texas does not profit from natural gas price increases. Instead, these amounts are passed through to customers and are regularly reviewed by our regulators.

What are utility companies doing to address natural gas prices?
Natural gas prices increase and decrease based on global economic circumstances beyond any utility’s control. We’ve taken proactive steps to help protect our customers from exposure to higher natural gas prices and to mitigate the impacts of higher natural gas prices. Steps include building more efficient natural gas plants that generate more energy (and produce less emissions) for every unit of natural gas they burn, investing in existing nuclear plants that generate large volumes of energy while using no gas and producing no emissions, and incorporating renewables like solar that produce energy without using fuel. By diversifying our portfolio as we have and continue to do, we can better protect our customers from negative impacts from increases in the cost of any specific type of fuel.

If natural gas costs are up, why aren’t customer gas bills also much higher?
Increased natural gas prices are also affecting gas bills. However, residential customers typically use less natural gas in the summer months, when electricity usage tends to be high due to electric-powered air conditioning. If fuel prices are still elevated in the winter months when residential gas consumption for home heating is much higher, then the effects of those higher prices may be felt in the form of higher gas bills, as gas usage for heating increases.

Doesn’t Entergy Texas set natural gas prices?
Entergy Texas doesn’t set natural gas prices or��own natural gas production facilities. Natural gas prices increase and decrease based on national or global economic circumstances beyond any utility’s control. We��ensure that we’re buying natural gas in a cost effective manner. Natural gas pricing fluctuates and is impacted by supply and demand in the global gas markets. The ���ϳԹ��� Information Administration has attributed the high costs to pandemic-related supply chain constraints, extreme temperatures and severe weather events, and Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, which has led to a supply shortage from Russia, the world’s second largest producer of natural gas.��

Aren’t natural gas prices only high in Texas? I don’t think customers in other markets are seeing higher bills.
Natural gas accounts for about a quarter of global electricity generation. After COVID-19 restrictions began easing in 2021, global demand for natural gas gradually picked up, and then supply was constrained because Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February reduced supplies to Europe. Natural gas prices have more than doubled when comparing June 2021 with June 2022.��

The men and women of Entergy Mississippi live and work in this state, too, and understand the strain rising prices of goods and services can put on families. That is why, in times like these, we are committed to doing everything we can to try to make your power bill one less thing you have to worry about.

This type of drive and focus is what��propelled��the Entergy New Orleans��gas��employee��to��work over 8,000��locate��tickets��in 2021.��Due to��Jason’s��outstanding��skill and dedication to his��work,��he��was recognized as the Louisiana Locator of the Year��at the Louisiana Damage Prevention Summit��in Baton Rouge.����

Jason��works��with��excavators��of��large projects in the��New Orleans��Mid-City and Bywater areas��to��mark��underground utility lines��and prevent gas leaks.��He has been a gas employee for 15 years and is highly respected by��his team for��his technical skills, knowledge of the gas system and ability to work��well��with others.��Following the historic impact of Hurricane Ida,��Jason and the Damage Prevention team worked long hours and responded to hundreds��of tickets��in difficult locations��to support��electric restoration.��

Jason��was thankful��for his��team and for the personal honor��from��overcoming��the unique challenges��presented��in 2021��when being named Locator of the Year.��

“We’ve got a great team,” said Jason.��“I can’t help but feel��proud by the award,��but it also��shows��how good our group��has been��to support me.”��

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By some estimates, closing air leaks through gaps and cracks can save 30 to 40 percent on home heating costs.��Poor insulation makes walls cold and forces your system to work harder and use more energy. For the biggest savings, add insulation in the attic. In fact, if a home is properly sealed and insulated, other measures, such as installing a high efficiency furnace, may not be the best investment.������

Some additional key measures to conserve natural gas include:

• Maintain the heating system. Have your furnace inspected regularly by a qualified professional, and change filters once per month.
• Install a programmable thermostat. These help to save energy by automatically turning down the heat in your home while you’re away. They can save up to $100 per year in heating costs.
• Turn down the water heater. Set your water heater no higher than 120°F. This is warm enough to meet your household needs, and every 10°F reduction can save up to five percent in water heating costs.
• Conserve hot water. Low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators can reduce hot water consumption. Take shorter showers, and wash only full loads in dishwashers and clothes washers.
• Cook up energy savings. Simple things in the kitchen can save on natural gas bills. Use a smaller pan if possible, and put a lid on it so the food cooks faster. Use the microwave to heat food whenever possible.

When replacing natural gas appliances and equipment, purchase models that are��certified for high energy performance. ��

To save even more, check out our energy efficiency programs.

Content provided for Entergy customers, Powered by Questline RelationshipBuilder. ©Questline Inc. ��

When Hurricane Ida’s catastrophic and damaging winds left more than 900,000 customers without power across southeast Louisiana, Entergy Gas customers in New Orleans and Baton Rouge were able to use an alternative means to power their needs.

“Before a storm comes our way, we assess our gas systems for supply availability and redundancy,” said Tad Patella, Entergy’s director of gas operations. “After Hurricane Ida passed, our customers were able to rely on our gas system without limitations or supply constraints.”

The gas system played a quiet, yet significant role in helping the New Orleans Power Station bring first lights to New Orleans East. Once repairs began on Entergy’s distribution system, NOPS delivered power to light nearly 8,000 residential and critical business customers within three days of Hurricane Ida’s passing.

New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board also was able to self-generate electricity by connecting their generators to Entergy’s gas supply.

The system’s ability to sustain the hurricane was, in part, due to the and the .

“For years, we have systematically invested and successfully executed our infrastructure replacement programs to make our systems more resilient,” Patella continued. “I am proud of the Entergy gas team and of everyone who supported and operated our system to ensure we performed at a premiere level to power customers after Ida.”

Entergy New Orleans began rebuilding its gas system after it was overwhelmed by Hurricane Katrina’s floodwaters. Since then, most of the company’s low-pressure system has upgraded to a more modern high-pressure system. These upgrades made for better reliability, safety and protection against storms and flooding.

In Baton Rouge, Entergy is continuing to remove aged pipe infrastructure and replace it with modern pipe materials to enhance the safety and reliability of the natural gas system.

The New Orleans gas replacement infrastructure program is expected to be completed by 2026 and the Baton Rouge natural gas infrastructure replacement program is expected to be completed by 2024.

Gas Safety

Customers should always stay alert for natural gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and leave the area immediately. Do not use an open flame, operate electrical switches, use telephones (corded or mobile) or other electronic devices. Call the gas company from a nearby building and don’t re-enter until it’s safe to do so. More gas safety tips are available

Additionally, customers who choose to use a generator should always use portable electric generators in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Visit Entergy’s webpage for more tips.

Permanent natural gas hookups eliminate the need for charcoal and refillable propane tanks. Gas convenience outlets or ‘gas plugs’ make connecting and disconnecting these natural gas appliances as safe and easy as plugging into an electrical outlet. Gas plugs can also be used with indoor equipment, including gas ranges and clothes dryers.

Gas Plugs: Connecting the dots

Gas plugs look and function much like an electrical outlet. They can be mounted on the wall or recessed. Installation kits typically include a mounting bracket or inlet to hide piping. The outlet is connected to a gas pipe and includes a manual on/off switch and an automatic shut-off valve.

A built-in lift ring makes connecting and disconnecting quick and easy, without lifting a cover or lid. Moreover, gas plugs are available as a single or double outlet, making it possible to run two gas appliances simultaneously from the same location. The plug is coupled with a piece of flexible stainless steel hose, which connects to the appliance.

A thermal protection device prevents gas flow if the outlet is exposed to temperatures in excess of 200°F. Automatic shut-off valves include a safety interlocking device that prevents the disconnection of natural gas appliances when the outlet is in the on position.

Tapping into the benefits

Gas plugs provide a flexible and easy way to bring cheap and clean-burning natural gas to your home, inside and out.

• Cost effective. Low-cost installation brings this practical innovation into homes at a reasonable price.
• Convenience. Quick and easy hook-up and disconnect of gas grills, patio heaters and fire pits allow natural gas living to be extended outdoors for longer periods of time.
• Flexibility. Indoor appliances such as ranges and clothes dryers can be added or moved simply and safely.
• Safety. Built-in safety features make gas plugs as safe as using a standard gas outlet. They typically receive fast and easy approval from insurers, fire officials and building inspectors.

When properly installed, gas plugs provide the reliability and convenience of natural gas wherever it’s needed—inside and outside your home. Contact a plumber or building contractor about installing gas convenience outlets in your home.

Content provided for Entergy customers, Powered by Questline RelationshipBuilder. ©Questline Inc.

BEAUMONT, Texas РAs part of its plan to meet growing demand across Southeast Texas and modernize its generation fleet, Entergy Texas, Inc. has begun the process to seek approval to construct the Orange County Advanced Power Station, a 1,215-megawatt, dual fuel combined cycle power facility. The plant will be located near Bridge City, Texas and will be capable of powering more than 230,000 homes and use a combination of natural gas and hydrogen. Hydrogen produces zero carbon emissions as a fuel source for electric generation. 

“The Orange County Advanced Power Station is a Texas project for Texas customers,” said Sallie Rainer, president and CEO of Entergy Texas. “The addition of this facility will continue our work to provide reliable, low-cost and clean energy in Southeast Texas and will provide more than $1.5 billion in net benefits to customers by reducing reliance on energy markets.”

An outside economic impact analysis by TXP, Inc. found that the construction and operation of the Orange County Advanced Power Station will play a major role in creating jobs and driving increased economic activity. Estimates indicate that construction will provide more than 7,000 direct jobs in Texas and nearly $1.8 billion in economic activity for the regional economy. Once operational, the plant will provide approximately 27 permanent direct jobs in Texas.

In addition to meeting current customer needs across Southeast Texas, the Orange County Advanced Power Station will be built with a focus on long-term sustainability in an economy where many stakeholders and customers are focused increasingly on decarbonization. The plant’s ability to be powered by hydrogen, which emits no carbon dioxide, supports its long-term viability for customers and the Southeast Texas community. Hydrogen is widely used today in industrial processes, including by a number of Entergy Texas’s large industrial customers. The fuel can be stored nearby in facilities such as in Entergy Texas’s Spindletop storage facility and can be deployed alongside natural gas to produce lower emissions energy reliably when needed, including working in hours when intermittent renewable resources do not generate power.¬†

“Southeast Texas is well-positioned to play a key role in the transition to increased use of hydrogen in electric generation,” said Rainer. “Our region is home to hydrogen producers, pipelines, storage and industrial users. We look forward to working with industry partners on the role the Orange County Advanced Power Station will play in providing reliable power while also meeting the sustainability needs of our customers and communities, and also to establish Southeast Texas as a global hub for hydrogen production and consumption.”

Within the coming months, Entergy Texas intends to file a request for approval to construct the Orange County Advanced Power Station with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. If the Public Utility Commission approves Entergy Texas’s application, construction will begin in the second quarter of 2023. Entergy Texas expects the plant to be in service by summer 2026.

About Entergy Texas

Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 473,000 customers in 27 counties. Entergy Texas is a subsidiary of ���ϳԹ���, an integrated energy company engaged in electric power production, transmission and retail distribution operations. Entergy delivers electricity to 3 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy owns and operates one of the cleanest large-scale U.S. power generating fleets with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including 7,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, Entergy has annual revenues of $10 billion and approximately 12,500 employees. Learn more at entergy.com and follow @Entergy on social media.

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There are other ways to detect a potential gas leak, as well. Have you ever spotted an unexplained, random dead patch of lawn or vegetation in an otherwise green area? What about bubbling in standing water or wet areas? Do you hear a hissing sound that’s accompanied by an odor? It could be a gas leak.

What should you do if you think you smell natural gas?

While not all suspected gas odors or bubbles are the result of a gas leak, this can only be determined by a qualified professional. Here are some tips to help you stay safe:

DO
• Leave the area immediately. If you are in your home, go outside, leaving a door or window open to ventilate if safe to do so.
• Move to a safe location and call 911, then call Entergy at 1-800-ENTERGY.

�ٰ���’T
• Smoke, light a match, candle or create any other flame.
• Turn electric appliances or lights on or off.
• Use a telephone or cell phone while near the gas smell.
• Use anything that could cause a spark.

Here’s a look at the typical process Entergy follows when we are called to a gas leak:
• Using natural gas detection equipment, a technician will investigate the area.
• If gas is detected, the technician will work to locate the leak and where gas may be present and determine if the leak poses a hazard.
• Safety is our top priority. If a leak poses a potential hazard, the technician will make sure the area is safe, and Entergy will conduct immediate repairs. If not repaired immediately, leaks determined to be non-hazardous will be scheduled for repair at a later date.

At Entergy, providing safe and reliable service to our customers is a priority. We complete surveys of our underground system, and we work quickly to identify any potential damage, while ensuring the safety of our system immediately after an event that could have had an impact, such as extreme weather.

If you have questions regarding your home’s natural gas, call us at 1-800-ENTERGY to speak with a representative.

Entergy took its initial steps toward building a smarter energy future for gas customers by recently adding the first smart communications module to a gas meter in New Orleans. The company plans to install some 200,000 smart devices over the next year that will provide detailed information on gas usage to its gas customers in Orleans Parish and the greater Baton Rouge areas.

“This is a significant event for our company,” said Tad Patella, director of Entergy’s gas distribution business. “These smart modules are going to provide us with important data we need to continue to deliver a reliable product and allow our customers to more closely monitor their usage. We want to be more efficient in everything we do, and this meter install puts us on the path to accomplishing that.”

Along with the installation of smart modules to existing gas meters, the gas business is in the midst of several infrastructure improvement projects, including the replacement of 11 miles of pipe annually in Baton Rouge through 2024. In New Orleans, approximately 26 miles of vintage piping materials have been replaced with another $100 million replacement program on the horizon.

Entergy’s multiyear rollout of advanced meters began in January 2019 with the installation of the company’s first electric advanced meter. The modules being installed on gas meters serve a similar function to their electric counterparts. Advanced meters will provide several future benefits, including new online tools to help customers better manage their energy usage and potentially save money on customer bills.

Entergy’s goal is to complete advanced meter deployment for the entire system — representing some three million customers — by the end of 2021.

About Entergy Louisiana

Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers and natural gas service to more than 93,000 customers in the greater Baton Rouge area. It has operations in southern, central and northern Louisiana.

About Entergy New Orleans

Entergy New Orleans, LLC is an electric and gas utility that serves Louisiana’s Orleans Parish. The company provides electricity to more than 209,000 customers and natural gas to more than 110,000 customers. Entergy New Orleans is a subsidiary of ���ϳԹ���.

About ���ϳԹ���

���ϳԹ��� (NYSE: ETR) is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including 8,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of $11 billion and approximately 13,600 employees.

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