“The partnership between MCHS and our company began in 2018,” said Paul “Scotty” Campbell, transmission control center training supervisor. “I saw that there was a need to develop the talent in this area and show them why they should come work at Entergy.”��

This realization led to the establishment of a partnership that would lead hearts and minds of young engineering interests at Madison Central High School to see that amazing career fields are right in their backyard.����

The MCHS Academy of Engineering has a three-week learning unit with Entergy to help students understand how engineering plays a role in their daily lives. About 20 students were given the opportunity to put their learned knowledge into action and see firsthand how all parts of electricity work, including clean nuclear power. One student shared, “Seeing the schematics for the power grid was really neat since I’ve been exposed to that in digital electronics.” Another said, “I finally understand the process of getting electricity from fossil fuels to a home, and about all of the people required to get it accomplished.”��

“Career readiness is an essential skill that is needed on day one to get a job,” says Rosalyn Howard, Entergy program manager for Diversity and Workplace Strategies. Howard served as the organizer for this event and said, “There must be a focus through stakeholder engagement, meaning that we are sharing knowledge with the community and nurturing the future workforce.”����

The students were also able to gain valuable insight from our Chief Nuclear Officer Kimberly Cook-Nelson as well.����

“We spend a lot of time at Entergy focusing on volunteering in local schools,” she said. “We start in the middle schools, then continue through high schools, trade schools and colleges to help people see and know what a career at Entergy looks like.”��

As part of the program, students were able to visit the Hinds Power Plant, Transmission Control Center and Transmission headquarters. “Seeing real-world applications of power generation, transmission and control helped bridge the gap between classroom concepts and industry practices”, said Michelle Robinson, academy director and science department chair at MCHS. “Thank you to Entergy for providing such a comprehensive and impactful experience.”��

From an early age, Sanford was drawn to mathematics and problem-solving which led him to a career in engineering. “I found the nature of engineering appealing because success is measured by objective results, either the design works or it doesn’t,” he explained.������

Throughout his career, Sanford has often been one of a few, if not the only, Black professionals on his team. While this presented challenges,��including the weight of representation and the need for heightened awareness in professional settings, he found strength in self-confidence and a commitment to mentorship. “It has given me a deeper understanding of the importance of inclusion, not just for those who share my background,��but for all underrepresented groups.”����

His role in the nuclear industry takes on even greater significance as he paves the way for future engineers. “Representation matters,” he said. “Being here means that younger students, especially from marginalized backgrounds, can see that a career in nuclear engineering is possible for them too.”����

Since joining Waterford 3, Sanford has played a critical role in multiple engineering disciplines, including central programs engineering, systems engineering and electrical design engineering. His expertise spans across regulatory compliance, troubleshooting complex plant issues and optimizing preventative maintenance strategies to enhance reliability.������

As a leader within the DIB group, Sanford is passionate about expanding outreach efforts to local schools and underserved communities. He envisions partnerships with other industries and educational institutions to create mentorship programs, site tours and academic support initiatives.����

Looking ahead, Sanford sees inclusion as a defining factor in shaping the future workforce. “Younger generations prioritize diversity when choosing employers. Companies, like Entergy, that embrace these values will attract the best minds in STEM,” he said.��

From an early age, Sanford was drawn to mathematics and problem-solving which led him to a career in engineering. “I found the nature of engineering appealing because success is measured by objective results, either the design works or it doesn’t,” he explained.������

Throughout his career, Sanford has often been one of a few, if not the only, Black professionals on his team. While this presented challenges,��including the weight of representation and the need for heightened awareness in professional settings, he found strength in self-confidence and a commitment to mentorship. “It has given me a deeper understanding of the importance of inclusion, not just for those who share my background,��but for all underrepresented groups.”����

His role in the nuclear industry takes on even greater significance as he paves the way for future engineers. “Representation matters,” he said. “Being here means that younger students, especially from marginalized backgrounds, can see that a career in nuclear engineering is possible for them too.”����

Since joining Waterford 3, Sanford has played a critical role in multiple engineering disciplines, including central programs engineering, systems engineering and electrical design engineering. His expertise spans across regulatory compliance, troubleshooting complex plant issues and optimizing preventative maintenance strategies to enhance reliability.������

As a leader within the DIB group, Sanford is passionate about expanding outreach efforts to local schools and underserved communities. He envisions partnerships with other industries and educational institutions to create mentorship programs, site tours and academic support initiatives.����

Looking ahead, Sanford sees inclusion as a defining factor in shaping the future workforce. “Younger generations prioritize diversity when choosing employers. Companies, like Entergy, that embrace these values will attract the best minds in STEM,” he said.��

“Grand Gulf has been a pillar in the local community,” Coleman said. “It’s been an honor to grow up here and develop my career.”��

The chemistry department is responsible for protecting the nuclear reactor. As part of his new job, Coleman provides oversight to the group and makes sure everything is managed properly. He is also excited to develop his technicians and grow their proficiency.��

 “I was developed as a young technician. It afforded me the opportunity to become the chemistry superintendent today,” he said. “I want to be able to pass that knowledge and opportunity down and really teach my technicians we can be part of the solution we want to see.”��

 As Grand Gulf approaches its 40th anniversary, Coleman said he was excited to see that the same nuclear plant that gave him his start is still around and running strong to give those same opportunities to the next generation of nuclear workers in the local community.��

 He also mentioned that as a fun fact, he is a proud Dallas Cowboys fan.��

And yet, the season also gives us time to pause, to reflect on 12 months of achievements and challenges, and to plan for fresh beginnings in the spanking-new year.

As we reminisce about the highlights of��’24, it’s only fitting that we spotlight some of the best and brightest moments for Entergy’s nuclear fleet.

Let’s flip some calendar pages and name a few….

In��March, Entergy Nuclear engineered��some exciting changes��in Port Gibson, Miss.! An all-woman group of managers led Grand Gulf Nuclear Station’s engineering team—an important first! Valerie Myers is plant support manager, Tori Robinson led the design projects team and Grace Settoon managed strategic and systems engineering. Since then, in recognition of their excellent work, Robinson accepted a position as design projects manager at the corporate office in Jackson, and Settoon was selected by site leadership to serve as a consultant at the��, headquartered in Atlanta.

In��April, two-thirds of Arkansas fell inside the path of totality during the historic total eclipse, causing a very brief reduction in output at the solar energy stations. Yet, due to Entergy’s diverse energy portfolio—roughly����comes from nuclear—Entergy still kept the lights shining bright��for its customers!

In��June,����with����to����that promises some powerful benefits! The project could increase efficiencies, lower operational costs, prevent generation losses due to equipment failures and improve the predictability of plant operations. If proved successful, Entergy will employ the model at one of its stations and potentially expand to others.

In��September, while the winds of Hurricane Francine howled, thanks to the diligent preparation, strong teamwork and safety-first mindset of Entergy’s nuclear professionals,��their plants stayed on the grid, producing round-the-clock power for its customers. Entergy’s communities are grateful for the strength and resilience not only of nuclear power—but also of the entire team at Arkansas Nuclear One in Russellville, Ark.; Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Miss.; River Bend Station in St. Francisville, La., and Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station in Killona, La.

Later in��September,��, a consortium of leading North American utilities that advise on the development and commercialization of����fluoride salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor��. Entergy’s Chief Nuclear Officer Kimberly Cook-Nelson said of the alliance, “We believe advanced nuclear technologies will play an important role in decarbonizing the U.S. energy system, and we’re pleased to be in a position to help nurture the development of new resources like KP-FHR.”

In��October, Cook-Nelson was named among the 2024����in the Profiles in Diversity Journal® magazine, which recognizes influential women who are using their talents to improve their workplace and our world. In its third-quarter issue, the journal featured Cook-Nelson’s reflections of her 28 years in the nuclear industry and her advice to never shy away from a challenge, shun the phrase “you can’t” and always remember: It’s about the people.

Also in��October, The��Entergy Charitable Foundation��awarded a����to help the HBCU establish a Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab. As an expansion of the university’s cybersecurity education curriculum, the lab will serve a twofold purpose: to offer students the necessary skills and resources to learn about the industry and to help grow a workforce to meet the needs of nuclear, electric and natural gas companies. Entergy and JSU have partnered before to create the��, another program in the��.

Later that month, Entergy’s nuclear fleet celebrated international��! The company is proud that its five reactors in four locations in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi can cleanly power small towns, big cities and everywhere in between.�� By harnessing��100% clean nuclear power, Entergy is helping to meet the growing demands of the nation’s carbon-free energy needs.

In��December, Entergy Nuclear topped off the year with the����of��, Unit 1! Now, the two nuclear units at ANO generate not only a steady stream of clean, carbon-free energy but also significant positive impact in the River Valley. The station employs more than 1,000 full-time nuclear professionals who care deeply about their community. And just for good measure, let’s celebrate the contributions made by Entergy’s��entire��nuclear fleet! In 2024, all four nuclear stations—Arkansas Nuclear One, Grand Gulf, River Bend Station in St. Francisville, La. and Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station in Killona, La. — together with Entergy Nuclear headquarters in Jackson, Miss.,��awarded $155,805 in grants to benefit their surrounding communities.

Lowther and Pierson have formed close professional ties over the past 25 years. Originally, Lowther worked for Pierson at Pilgrim Nuclear Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts, which was formerly owned by Entergy, and now Pierson works for Lowther as the employee concerns specialist at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Vicksburg, Miss.��

“Moving halfway across the country, from Massachusetts to Jackson, and not having much family, you end up getting closer to your family at work than you do normally,” Lowther explained.  ��

On Nov. 15, that longstanding relationship was put to a test. Lowther, senior manager for employee concerns and nuclear safety culture, vividly recalls the events of that day. ��

“Around 11 o’clock, I got a text message from Rich, who is my direct report. I remember that the text was kind of a weird question. And also, in his text there was an upside-down question mark which, honestly, I’ve never even seen in a text message.” ��

Lowther answered his question and added, “Do you need help with anything? Call me if so.” ��

“I was outside the grocery store at that point,” she recalled. “I didn’t get a call from him, so I went into the store. That’s when I got another text a few minutes later, and it was all jumbled up. There were a few words that caught my eyes: experience, stoke and rhythm. And he said he needed his wife home now.” ��

That’s when Lowther’s questioning attitude came into play. “I realized something didn’t sound right there,” she said. “Especially that one word—it said��stoke.�Ũ�į�į��

Lowther called her team member on the spot, and when he answered the phone, he was clearly in distress. ��

“I told him I would call an ambulance, but he argued with me, saying his dogs were at home and his wife was out of town. I said, ‘I will come there and take care of your dogs. I’m hanging up now and calling an ambulance.’” ��

From prior visits, Lowther was able to recall his address and so she summoned an ambulance. “If he didn’t need it, he could turn him away,” she reasoned, “but I wasn’t going to take a chance.” ��

Lowther then informed Pierson’s wife of the event, went to his home to check on his dogs and then headed straight to the hospital to ensure Pierson had everything he needed.��

At the hospital, the doctors confirmed that Pierson had experienced not one but��two��strokes within a five-minute span, and that the cause of the strokes was an undetected underlying condition. ��

Fortunately, after the second stroke, Pierson still had that first text open, and that’s how he was able to text the second time—by swiping his thumb around the keypad and hoping his boss could understand the garbled text. And she did as soon as she read that one word:��stoke. ��

Reflecting on Lowther’s presence of mind, Nuclear Independent Oversight Director��Greg Hudnall��said, “I am convinced that her keen awareness and quick actions changed the outcome for one of our co-workers. This situation serves as a reminder for why it is so important to connect with each other and pay attention to off-normal behaviors.” ��

Lowther later recalled how she was able to act so quickly. “I already had all of my employees’ and spouses’ phone numbers in my phone,” she said. Additionally, she pointed out that it’s important to generally know the whereabouts of her team members. “For example, Rich works a different schedule than I work,” she explained, “so I knew when he texted that he was at home and that was where I needed to send the ambulance.” ��

Hudnall agreed, saying, “Leaders should know emergency contacts and addresses for their team members without having to log in to locate the information. I think that’s something a lot of us might not be prepared for if something similar happened to one of our own. Kristie’s quick actions probably saved this person’s life. I am very proud of Kristie.” ��

This week we celebrate achievements across the nuclear energy industry and at Entergy, as we recognize the vital role nuclear professionals play in powering our communities with clean, carbon-free electricity. This is only achieved because of their relentless focus on operating our plants safely, securely and reliably.����

Our customers count on us to keep the lights on, and we do so with clean, reliable energy, 24/7, 365. Our Entergy fleet of five nuclear reactors at four sites in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana prevents nearly 23 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in the environment each year. That is about the same as taking nearly five million passenger vehicles off the road.��

This is an exciting time to be working in nuclear. As the Nuclear ���ϳԹ��� Institute reported last year about the , from 2016 to 2020, support held steady at 45% and then jumped to nearly 60% this year. People are seeing the value of nuclear as a clean, reliable energy source, as well as a powerful economic force—driving opportunities in business, employment and volunteerism.������

In celebration of Nuclear Science Week, Entergy’s fleetwide chapters of Women in Nuclear and North American Young Generation in Nuclear will be expanding outreach, educating our customers and other stakeholders about the benefits of nuclear energy.

Engage with Entergy Nuclear on , and Entergy on or to learn more about our industry, our commitment to our customers and communities, and rewarding in this exciting and growing field.

Where is your hometown?

I actually grew up in Laredo, a border town in south Texas. I’ve only lived in Texas and Louisiana. And funny thing, I knew nothing about nuclear before I got to college. I actually started my interest in nuclear because I wanted to work with space exploration. And I knew they used the nuclear process to heat up circuits for equipment, especially for long distance satellites. But I started learning about power generation and I saw that’s another aspect I could go into. Sure enough, that’s what I ended up doing.��

What does your job entail?��

In our group we have the core designers, and basically anything that’s outside of that is in my realm. That includes four areas: fuel performance, which is fuel reliability plus fuel fabrication, special nuclear material accounting and spent fuel pool criticality analysis.��

Can you explain what criticality means?��

Basically, what we mean by criticality is controlling the neutron population. When we put fuel in the reactor, we want to sustain the fission chain reaction so that we can make power. In the spent fuel pool, it’s kind of the opposite. We make sure that anything we do in the spent fuel pool will help us stay below the criticality limits, so that we can safely store fuel there.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am and have been working with another team member on an initiative that would make reactor engineering more successful. The initiative would allow them to work less on boring and redundant things, and help them be more efficient with their time. This initiative can also improve their quality of life by reducing the time it takes to create some of our engineering documents.��

What do you like most about your current position?��

The one thing I like the most, other than the technical side, as a supervisor, has been teaching and bringing up the new generation in nuclear. I’ve been with the company and in the industry for a little over 15 years. I’m at that middle point where I had the teachings from the older generation, and now I can pass down those teachings to the younger generation and help them become the engineers they want to be. I’m kind of like that bridge between the senior engineers and new engineers. I think for the industry, we all have got to help each other out.��

Why do you like working for Entergy?��

To me, it’s always been the safety aspect. I know I’ve been in situations in my career, even as a young engineer, where it wasn’t like I had to prove it’s unsafe. Just mentioning that the work feels unsafe was enough for people who support me to say, “Let’s stop. Let’s think about this. Let’s really evaluate if this is safe or not.” The fact that they stopped and listened to a new person who didn’t have much experience in the industry made me feel safe to bring up concerns and really showed me that my leadership had my safety in mind.

To me, that was always a plus, and that was one of the main reasons why I came back here, because we talk the talk, and we walk that walk.��

Why do you like working for Entergy?��

Other than safety, it’s probably the teamwork aspect. The more we can bring in people who have different backgrounds, different experiences, different educations, I think we get a better product at the end. It might take a little bit longer to get the product out, but at the end, it always turns out better with everybody’s ideas.��

What do you like to do outside of work?��

My wife and daughter and I are dog people with two little Shih Tzus. For such a small dog, they’re so demanding! So, walking with them is an activity that I like to do, along with spending time with friends and family, watching lots of sports and listening to true crime podcasts.

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Entergy’s Arkansas Nuclear One recently donated one of its armed security vehicles to the Pope County Sheriff’s Office for use in law enforcement activities.

Entergy uses the vehicles for protecting the health and safety of the public from radiological sabotage, but is donating this one as a means of good stewardship in the community and to help foster a symbiotic partnership with local officials.

“We are honored that we’re able to support local law enforcement with this donation,” said Doug Pehrson, ANO site vice president. “And we are proud to power life by supporting our community in this way.”

The Lenco BearCat is a wheeled SWAT vehicle designed for military and law enforcement use. The vehicle is based on a Ford F-550 Super Duty commercial truck chassis with a diesel engine, and a six-speed automatic transmission. The steel armored bodywork includes ballistic glass capable of multi-hits, blast-resistant floors, gunports, roof hatches and other equipment.

“We are grateful for this generous donation to our department,” said Sheriff Shane Jones. “Not only will this vehicle allow the sheriff’s office to respond to events in Pope County, but it will also allow us to respond to a potential event at Arkansas Nuclear One.”

Lenco BearCats have been credited with saving the lives of officers in armed confrontations on numerous occasions.

Supporting and improving the quality of life in communities where Entergy operates through strategic investments is a core value. Entergy strives to contribute to a society that is healthy, educated, environmentally safe and productive.

JACKSON, Miss. – Entergy’s Women in Nuclear chapter has been recognized again by the U.S. WIN organization as the “most reactive” chapter. It is the second time in as many years the chapter has gained national recognition for their educational outreach efforts, this time for their work during 2023’s National Nuclear Science Week.

Chapters are judged on the number of activities held during NSW, the number of participating U.S. WIN members, the number of individuals and public sectors reached and the variety of topics covered.

“It was the dedication, hard work and leadership our team demonstrated last year that allowed us to be awarded, for the second year in a row, the Most Reactive Chapter for 2023’s Nuclear Science Week,” said Danielle Andreozzi, Entergy Nuclear design engineer and fleet president of Entergy’s U.S. WIN chapter. “I am so proud to be a part of this organization and company. I have personally seen the effects advocating for nuclear and STEM careers has on students and the local community.”

Entergy has a WIN chapter at each of its four nuclear power plants in Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana, as well as at its headquarters in Jackson. Chapters from all five sites participated, with some putting on multiple events. Among the outreach efforts were:

• Nuclear and STEM-related activities and giveaways for visitors at the Mississippi Children’s Museum hosted by WIN volunteers from Entergy Nuclear’s Echelon headquarters
• STEM Day and National Science Day events at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Miss. for girl scouts, boy scouts, a local youth council and students ranging from middle school to high school
• A STEM Fair hosted by River Bend Station in St. Francisville, La. for Bains Elementary fifth grade students
• Nuclear Science Days at Russellville Middle School held by Arkansas Nuclear One WIN members in Russellville, Ark. for hundreds of sixth- and seventh-grade students
• A nuclear and STEM-related activities event hosted by Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station in Killona, La. for K-12 students at the Killona Community Center in the after-school program
• Nuclear advocacy letters to Mississippi legislators from Entergy Nuclear headquarter employees

In all, their efforts reached more than 1,500 school children, teachers, parents, legislators and other community members.

“This year’s competition for the Most Reactive Chapter was fierce,” said Jennifer Watkins, Nuclear Science Week lead for the U.S. WIN communications committee. “We had submissions from 10 chapters who all did an amazing job with their outreach efforts. The creativity and diversity in events were fantastic. Approximately 3,000 individuals of all ages were able to explore nuclear science topics—and that doesn’t even cover those who were reached via social media! We love seeing how our chapters promote and support nuclear energy as a carbon-free energy source in our communities.”

U.S. Women in Nuclear is an organization of individuals who work in nuclear energy and technology fields around the United States. Their vision is aimed at positioning the United States for the future of nuclear energy and technology through the advancement of women.

Nuclear Science Week, held the third week in October, is an international, broadly observed, week-long celebration to focus local, regional, national and international attention on all aspects of nuclear science.