The company recently filed two proposals with the Public Utility Commission of Texas: the��, more commonly known as SETEX, and the��. These transmission lines will improve how electricity moves across Southeast Texas—boosting capacity for new homes and businesses, reducing the risk of outages, and supporting job creation and investment in the region. They’ll also enhance grid resiliency by adding geographic diversity—helping the system better withstand extreme weather—and ensure compliance with federal reliability standards set by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.

If approved, the SETEX project would add a new 500-kV transmission line to the western portion of Entergy Texas’ 27-county service area, connecting new substations in Newton and Montgomery counties and spanning up to 160 miles. The Cypress to Legend line would span up to 49 miles between Hardin and Jefferson counties. While there are multiple routes and route segments under consideration, the final route for each project will be determined by the PUCT as part of the regulatory review process.

“As the communities we serve continue to grow, we have a responsibility to grow with them,” said Eliecer Viamontes, CEO of Entergy Texas. “These investments are about preparing Southeast Texas for what’s next—more families, more businesses, more opportunities. Our goal is to build a resilient grid that customers can count on and a stronger foundation for the region’s future.”

Entergy Texas operates within the��, a regional transmission organization that oversees energy planning across 15 U.S. states and Manitoba, Canada. Both the SETEX and Cypress to Legend projects were identified through MISO’s long-range planning process as critical to ensuring reliable and cost-effective service as demand continues to grow. If approved by the PUCT, Cypress to Legend is expected to be in service by 2028, and SETEX is expected to follow in 2029.

These projects are key components of Entergy Texas’ Southeast Texas ���ϳԹ��� Plan, also known as STEP Ahead. STEP Ahead is a long-term strategy to power economic growth, strengthen reliability and support vibrant communities across the region. The comprehensive plan includes investments in resiliency, generation, transmission, and distribution to serve one of the fastest-growing areas of the country. Entergy Texas’ continued focus on smart, cost-effective planning has helped keep electricity rates affordable for customers—remaining����for more than a decade.

Learn more about how Entergy Texas is staying a STEP Ahead of the region’s growing energy needs at��.

About Entergy Texas
Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 524,000 customers in 27 counties. Entergy Texas 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. Its customers are connected to the Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc. power grid, which is a regional transmission organization responsible for administering the transmission systems of member utilities in 15 states stretching across the central region of the United States and Manitoba, Canada. 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��@EntergyTX��on social media.

Meeting the demands of historic electricity usage during arctic blast

Entergy customers used more electricity during the January winter storm than ever before in cold-weather months, surpassing the peak winter usage recorded in the storms of January 2024. Entergy Arkansas, Louisiana, New Orleans and Texas service areas all recorded new high peak usage records, while Entergy Mississippi neared its record of peak usage.

As cold weather drove increased energy usage, Entergy closely monitored our equipment and weather conditions, taking appropriate steps to ensure reliable delivery of power to our customers. This included working closely with MISO, the electric grid operator for the central United States, to monitor grid conditions and prepare generators accordingly. Despite the record-breaking power usage,��Entergy’s fleet maintained production margins and provided enough generation to meet the energy load throughout the storm.

Storm ready: responding to winter weather events

While the January weather event did cause localized outages, crews quickly and safely restored power to just over 13,000 customers who lost service across Entergy’s service territory throughout the three day-event while navigating freezing temperatures, icy roads and hazardous working conditions.

The winter storm most heavily impacted Louisiana, bringing unique challenges like downed tree limbs and the strain of cold-load pickup, an increase in energy demand as power is restored to areas impacted by extreme cold. Despite these challenges, the company’s systems and teams proved resilient, minimizing the impact on customers across the state. Just two weeks prior, Entergy Arkansas swiftly restored power to its customers during a����with snow accumulations of nearly 15 inches in some areas and more than a quarter-inch of ice in others according to the National Weather Service.

Entergy stays storm ready with extensive��winter weather readiness measures��and remains prepared to respond to the next weather event.

Resources for customers

Customers can learn more about��bill management and assistance options following winter weather.

Whether customers have questions about their bill, need more time to pay or are looking for assistance, our one-stop shop connects them to available programs and services at��

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In ongoing, comprehensive efforts to enhance the resiliency and reliability of the electrical systems in Little Rock, work will soon begin in the downtown Little Rock and surrounding area.

The first phase of this multi-phase project is taking place over the next few months in an area that is home to more than 40,000 Entergy Arkansas customers.

This comprehensive project includes transmission infrastructure upgrades to lines that serve the downtown area that will provide abundant power that can be restored quicker in the case of an outage. Future phases will extend the transmission upgrades from downtown all the way to West Little Rock.  Infrastructure upgrades will include overhead transmission lines and substation equipment, increasing capacity and reliability across the city.  

Approximately eight miles of high- and low-voltage power lines will be upgraded over the next few years. Additionally, Entergy Arkansas will upgrade line terminals and equipment at all substations in Little Rock’s central business district.

We do not anticipate any interruption to service as work takes place, but Entergy Arkansas will communicate with affected customers should an outage be needed.

Meanwhile, some periodic road closures will be required during portions of the projects. The first such road closure will occur between Oct. 14 and Oct. 24 near 8^th and Woodrow streets. Signs will be posted and proper traffic control measures will be taken to minimize disruption to travelers.

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.

Entergy has implemented this new technology to increase the reliability of our service. This technological advancement emphasizes our commitment to customer-centricity by ensuring we deliver efficient, high-quality services to our customers.

“AI is becoming instrumental in serving our customers,” said Charles Long, Entergy’s senior vice president for power delivery. “This is just the beginning in using the most promising technology to increase efficiency and minimize disruptions.”

Our advanced metering infrastructure is more than just a network of smart meters; it’s a data storage house. The smart meters generate vast amounts of performance data and provide real-time insights into the grid’s performance. By applying AI to this data, Entergy can predict when distribution transformers are likely to fail. This predictive capability is transformative because it enables proactive maintenance that prevents unplanned outages.

Since deploying the AI application to the reliability management teams, Entergy has seen a significant improvement in the reliability of its service. In just one year, this initiative has prevented 536 unplanned outages and avoided over 48,000 outage minutes. These results underscore the power of combining AI with AMI data to enhance grid reliability.

“Combining vast amounts of data from our AMI meters with AI tools allows us to prevent problems before they occur,” said Andy Quick, Entergy’s vice president and chief AI officer. “Although we’re in the early stages of our AI journey, the benefits of the application of AI are already paying off. We’ll continue to integrate AI in our business operations and expect it to benefit both our customers and the company.”

The integration of AI and AMI offers several additional benefits:

• Operational efficiency – AI algorithms automate the detection of irregularities, which leads to more efficient operations and reduced need for manual intervention.
• Load forecasting – Advanced analytics help forecast and plan for peak demand periods.
• Regulatory compliance – This provides timely and more efficient reporting.
• Billing accuracy – The company is providing enhanced data that improves billing accuracy and reduces billing errors.

Improving for our customers is at the heart of this initiative. This work will be planned to minimize disruption to anyone impacted by the maintenance outage, and Entergy will notify customers prior to the time maintenance work is to be conducted.

Long added, “By utilizing this new AI technology, Entergy is setting a new standard for managing reliability. The success of this new program not only highlights the value of innovative technology in the energy sector, but it also promises increased reliability of electric services and enhanced customer satisfaction.”

Entergy Mississippi recently completed a $1.3 million project to update a major transmission pathway coming from the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. The completion of the project supports affordability and significantly lowers the risk of transmission interruptions between Entergy Mississippi’s single largest power resource and the Franklin Substation located in Franklin County, Mississippi.

The project, which was born from a study to find opportunities for improved reliability, included replacing two transmission line structures outside the substation, and reconfiguring equipment inside of it.

“The completion of this project not only helps us prevent the risk of unexpectedly losing connectivity with Grand Gulf, but it also avoids creating future customer costs that would be associated with losing that connectivity. The study that helped us realize this risk was integral to enhancing our grid,” said Randy Vaughan, director, project delivery.

Project managers coordinated around other work happening in and near Grand Gulf, and found the optimal time to complete the project in early 2024. Over the course of about a week, highly skilled crews switched phases and built new lines, which will help mitigate future risks of tripping transmission service from Grand Gulf to the substation.

Vaughan continued, “To put it into perspective, during the hottest and coldest months of the year, Entergy Mississippi’s peak load is around 3.4 gigawatts. Grand Gulf alone supplies 1.5 gigawatts of power across the grid. By supplying reliable and affordable power, we’re meeting our customers’ current and future needs. That’s why this project was important.”

Entergy Mississippi continually works to mitigate risks and improve service for our customers. Data shows the efforts the company has put forth to maintain reliability and affordability over the years have yielded great results – allowing more investment in infrastructure and better performance.

The high voltage power transformer benefits customers in the New Orleans East area by providing:

Enhanced Reliability

By adding beneficial redundancy to our infrastructure, this new transformer strengthens the area’s reliability. In the event of an emergency or equipment failure, it ensures there is a secondary source of power available to minimize disruptions for our customers.

Improved Load Distribution

The new transformer will help disperse the area’s power load more efficiently. This means a more balanced distribution of electricity, reducing the risk of overloads and outages during peak demand periods.

At Entergy New Orleans, our customers are at the center of everything we do. We continuously invest in upgrading our infrastructure to meet their evolving needs and expectations. The installation of the high voltage power transformer is an example of our ongoing commitment to providing reliable, high-quality service to the communities we serve.

Check out��entergy.com/reliability��for more information and updates on Entergy’s reliability projects.

JACKSON, Miss.– Entergy Mississippi has completed construction of a new distribution substation in the Snowden Grove Park community, near Tchulahoma Road in Southaven. The substation is a part of a $37 million project, which included constructing nearly two miles of new transmission lines, 12 miles of new and rebuilt distribution lines, and 74 new composite poles.

The project enhances reliability for the existing transmission and distribution systems by providing capacity for future residential, commercial and industrial growth in DeSoto County.

“Northwest Mississippi is one of the fastest growing areas in the state, and we’re proud to be a part of the progress,” said Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO. “This new substation allows us to support and enable economic growth in the area and continue to provide reliable service at affordable rates.”

Construction began April 2022, and the substation was officially put into service December 22, 2023. With a new amphitheater and several restaurants, forecasts show the growth trends in the area could have created overload conditions between nearby Greenbrook and Plum Point substations. Bringing the Snowden Park Substation into service alleviates those risks and improves reliability for all three substations.

 

As a customer-centered business, Entergy Mississippi continuously makes improvements to the electric distribution system to deliver reliable power. This work makes the electric system in the DeSoto County area more interconnected with higher capacity, which will help the company deliver power now and into the future.

About Entergy Mississippi

Entergy Mississippi, LLC provides electricity to approximately 461,000 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, visit the .

Entergy’s electric grid sustained its highest ever winter peak load during recent winter storms, meaning customers used more electricity at a given point in time than ever before during cold-weather months. Entergy Arkansas customers exceeded their previous all-time peak load, and Entergy Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi experienced peaks that exceeded the highs set during the winter of 2021, which saw one of the most damaging winter storms we’ve experienced.

Despite the record-breaking power usage earlier this month, Entergy’s fleet provided enough generation to meet the energy load and sustained reserves well above real-time power demand. The interconnecting transmission system, which moves electricity from our generators to your communities for use, remained secure.

While severe storms did cause localized outages, Entergy crews responded quickly to minimize customer impacts. In Arkansas, the hardest-hit state in Entergy’s service territory, over 1,000 resources were activated for storm response to safely restore more than 80,000 customers, amid treacherous road conditions. In Louisiana, crews and contractors safely brought approximately 19,000 customers back online after waves of steady wind and freezing rain rolled through the region. In Southeast Texas, power generation remained in surplus to consistently provide communities with electricity who experienced temperatures 20 to 30 degrees below normal.

The systemwide power generation and delivery performance during the cold spell is a reflection of the investments and planning done over the past year combined with a continued focus on operational excellence. It builds upon Entergy’s performance in 2023, which achieved its best generation fleet performance in over a decade, despite a summer of record-breaking heat. Not only were we able to keep our customers powered through extreme conditions, but we also helped economically export power to the MISO North/Central regions through the majority of 2023.��

Bill management resources

Entergy is committed to helping our customers before, during and after extreme weather, which is why we offer a variety of bill payment assistance and energy efficiency programs to help customers stay comfortable and keep their bill affordable.������

We offer several billing and payment options to fit your needs. Choose when, where and how you pay your utility bill with our bill management resources, which include:������

• Understanding my bill:��We redesigned the Entergy bill to help make it easier to understand. Learn more at��entergy.com/bill.��
• Level billing: We average bills over a rolling 12-month period, so you have a more consistent bill each month of the year. Enroll at��.��
• Pick-A-Date: Choose what day of the month you get billed to line up with your budget and cash flow. Learn more at��.��
• PaperFREE:��Get your bill delivered directly to your email as soon as it posts. Learn more at��.��
• AutoPay: Avoid late fees, writing checks and paying for postage by having your bills automatically deducted from your bank account. Learn more at��.����

Resources for customers in need������

For customers experiencing financial hardship, we offer a variety of bill assistance options, including:������

• The Power to Care:��Through a network of nonprofit agencies, The Power to Care helps pay utility bills of those facing extreme temperatures with no way to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Learn more at��.����
• Low Income Home ���ϳԹ��� Assistance Program:��Funded through the federal government, LIHEAP helps low-income households meet their home energy costs by making payments on the customers’ behalf directly to energy suppliers. Visit��entergy.com/bill-help��to learn how to apply for assistance.����
• Deferred payment:��Talk with us about your situation and we may be able to make deferred payment arrangements. Request a deferred payment arrangement through����or by calling 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) and following our automated response system menu.��
• Payment extension:��Qualifying customers who need a few extra days to pay their bill can request an extension through����or by calling 1-800-ENTERGY (1-800-368-3749) and following our automated response system menu.����

The Entergy app is also available for Android and iPhone operating systems at��entergy.com/app��and can be used for your convenience to pay bills, monitor your usage and more.����

One of the best ways to reduce interruption to electric service is by maintaining adequate clearance between power lines and trees. There are more than 16,000 miles of transmission lines carrying high-voltage electricity to communities throughout Entergy’s service territory. The aerial saw provides a safe and efficient tool for crews to maintain vegetation around power transmission and distribution systems.

“There is no comparison when I think about the effectiveness of this tool,” said Curtis Robertson, Operations Coordinator for Entergy’s Vegetation Support team. “From the marshes in Louisiana to the mountains in Arkansas and everything in between, managing vegetation around our lines can be challenging with ground-based equipment. To operate in many of these environments, there is no better tool at our disposal than the aerial saw.”

Typical ground-based tree trimming equipment reaches a maximum height of 65-70 feet in the air. With the aerial saw, the sky is the limit. Robertson remarked that a recent project in Arkansas – which would typically require up to 8 months to complete with traditional, ground-based equipment – was completed in just 4 weeks with the aerial saw.

Due to the extraordinary efficiency of this tool, Entergy’s vegetation management teams are able to replace some of the higher-cost, manual trimming activities across Entergy’s service territory to save both time and money.

“When we put together our tree-trimming strategy, the most important things to consider are the safety of our crew members, the ability to maximize reliability for our customers, and the efficiency of the operation in order to manage costs,” said Robertson. “The aerial saw is achieving all of the above, systemwide.”

Entergy performs trimming on transmission right-of-ways on an as-needed basis determined by aerial and ground based patrols. Crews use industry measures to preserve the health of the trees to the degree possible. To do this, we follow specifications developed by the International Society of Arboriculture.

In addition, the����has repeatedly named Entergy a Tree Line USA utility as a result of our commitment to proper tree pruning, planting and care in our service area.��Learn more here.

When completed nearly 60 years ago, the company’s extra high voltage transmission system reflected the latest technology in modern, reliable, efficient power delivery. Today, it carries on its legacy of delivering powerful benefits to customers and communities throughout Entergy Mississippi’s service area and beyond.����

“The extra high voltage system was primarily built during the 1960s is still a very strong backbone of Entergy Mississippi’s transmission service,” said Frank Gallaher, who joined the company in 1969 and retired in 2003 as president of fossil operations and transmission for Entergy. “As needs required, it expanded and incorporated new technologies as they became available, but the backbone system is still there and has been very beneficial for customers over the years.”��

A new system for a new era

In a utility system, transmission lines move bulk electricity from generating plants to substations, where voltages are lowered for smaller distribution lines that serve homes and businesses.��

Entergy Mississippi’s earliest transmission system generally followed railroad and highway routes of the day, transporting power from generating plants in larger cities to nearby towns and communities. By the end of the 1950s, the company had built generation stations in Jackson, Natchez and Cleveland to serve growing demand in its service territory.��

Plans to build an extra high voltage transmission system took shape in 1962, when Tennessee Valley Authority entered a diversity interchange agreement with 11 investor-owned utilities in the south-central region. Its purpose was to help utilities more effectively manage peak loads in winter and summer while saving millions of dollars and reducing the need to build new generating plants.����

Mississippi Power & Light, the precursor of Entergy Mississippi, led negotiations for the private utilities, with Vice President Ray Braswell serving as a key figure in finalizing the deal and overseeing the construction of Mississippi’s extra high voltage transmission system—one of the first in the world to operate at 500,000 volts.����

Despite the large investment required for the project, MP&L management saw the agreement “as another milestone in the company’s continuing efforts to plan and build ahead in order to assure its customers of an ample, dependable supply of electric power at the lowest reasonable cost,” wrote Carroll Brinson in “Always a Challenge: Mississippi Power & Light Company’s First Sixty Years.”��

In 1964, MP&L bought around 200 miles of right of way and began building 226 miles of extra high voltage line in three segments: French Camp to Jackson (91 miles), Jackson to Vicksburg (36 miles), and Jackson to the Louisiana state line, south of Liberty (99 miles). The extra high voltage system also included two 500-KV substations—Ray Braswell in Clinton and Baxter Wilson in Vicksburg.����

MP&L’s sister companies in Middle South Utilities also were part of the new extra high voltage system, with substation lines running to connection points with Louisiana Power & Light and Arkansas Power & Light.������

In 1967, the company completed the historic construction project on schedule and managed the transmission system in accordance with Tennessee Valley Authority’s diversity interchange agreement, which came to an end in the 1980s.��

Growth drives system expansion

Over the following years, Entergy Mississippi added to the extra high voltage transmission system and built additional substations to expand power-sharing capabilities, including Franklin Substation in Brookhaven and a substation to serve Grand Gulf Nuclear Station.����

When Charlie Gambrell joined the company in 1981, Entergy Mississippi was building the McAdams substation in Attala County that tapped into an extra high voltage transmission line running from Ray Braswell Substation to Tennessee Valley Authority. Subsequent substation construction projects included Freeport in Horn Lake, Lakeover in Jackson and Wolf Creek in French Camp.����

“Instead of building another power plant, sometimes it’s much cheaper to build a transmission line—not only for Entergy’s use but to transport power to other utilities,” said Gambrell, who retired in 2021 as manager, transmission construction. “A lot of our transmission lines tie into other utilities in Mississippi and neighboring states.”��

New technologies have steadily transformed Entergy’s transmission infrastructure, particularly with the advent of computers and communication technologies that have enabled remote operations and automation—advancements that have helped minimize outages, boost reliability, and prevent and mitigate system damage.��

“When I first came to work, they were using older electromechanical relay systems,” Gambrell said. “Most of them have been replaced with microprocessor technology that’s much more reliable and can provide information about outage locations and other issues on the system.”��

For years, employees were dispatched to substations to manually switch out lines and perform other procedures. Today’s substations are equipped with devices that allow employees in Entergy’s transmission control centers to remotely monitor and operate equipment. The installation of fiber optic cable is driving further advancements in system automation and integration.��

In recent decades, Entergy Mississippi also has modernized its generation fleet to sustainably serve Mississippi’s evolving energy needs, including more .����

Always anticipating the future

Today, Entergy operates around 1,300 miles of transmission line in Mississippi, and Jackson serves as headquarters for the utility’s four-state transmission organization.����

Just as company leaders promised more than a half-century ago, transmission employees remain focused on “efforts to plan and build ahead in order to assure customers of an ample, dependable supply of electric power at the lowest reasonable cost.” A dedicated, long-range planning team forecasts load growth and analyzes contingencies to ensure that Entergy’s system is always prepared for the future.����

Twice a year, aerial inspections by helicopter are performed on Entergy’s entire transmission system to identify condition issues that could affect service, including overgrown vegetation and leaning trees. The company inspects wood poles and other structures on 10-year cycles and uses drone technology to inspect equipment that can’t be accessed on foot.��

In an age of more extreme weather events, improving system resiliency is a critical focus area. Entergy worked with regulators to receive approval for a program to accelerate the replacement of wood poles with steel structures, which will reduce outages and enhance transmission system availability.��

Entergy also has increased investments in component upgrades and state-of-the-art devices that are more reliable, require less maintenance and even provide environmental benefits. In 2022, Entergy Mississippi installed a high-voltage clean air circuit breaker in Vicksburg—a first for Entergy’s four-state service area. The breaker uses nitrogen and oxygen for its insulating medium instead of sulfur hexafluoride, a potent greenhouse gas.��

“Entergy has always looked for ways to use technology to find and diagnose problems faster and maintain the transmission system in a more cost-effective manner,” said John Stevens, senior manager, Mississippi grid. “We’ve been able to accomplish a lot in Mississippi in terms of upgrading equipment that directly impacts our customers, including industrial customers that rely on high levels of power quality for their operations.����

“It all goes back to leaders who followed through on their vision to build a world-class transmission system for Mississippi,” Stevens said. “System performance through the years has proven that it was the right decision for the company and for our customers.”��