[StBernard] Entergy Estimates Power Restoration Times for Metro New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Hurricane-Damaged Louisiana

[Westley Annis]

Entergy Estimates Power Restoration Times for Metro New Orleans, Baton Rouge
and Hurricane-Damaged Louisiana


Last update: 5:39 p.m. EDT Sept. 4, 2008
NEW ORLEANS, Sept 04, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Entergy
today predicted it will have power restored to 90 percent of New Orleans
customers within three days, weather permitting, and electricity should be
back in service to virtually all homes and businesses in Orleans Parish by
Monday night.

Restoration in Algiers and in many of the suburban areas around the city --
including Metairie and Kenner -- should be essentially complete by the end
of Tuesday. Many customers, of course, will have their power back well
before that, Entergy emphasized. 

In Plaquemines, St. Bernard and St. Charles parishes, 90 percent of affected
customers will have their power restored by Sept. 12. Full restoration will
occur by Sept. 15.

In 46 of the 56 Louisiana parishes where Entergy customers lost power,
restoration is projected to be finished or almost completed in seven days or
less to all residential and commercial customers who can accept power, the
company said.

Entergy stressed, however, that restoration would take a good deal longer in
other areas of Louisiana where damage from Hurricane Gustav was much more
severe or access may be restricted.

In the Baton Rouge metropolitan area, where Gustav proved to be the most
damaging hurricane in history, 90 percent of customers will have their
electricity back on by Sept. 17. Restoration completion for the remaining 10
percent is projected there for Sept. 24.

In hard-hit Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, 90 percent of impacted
customers will have their power restored by Sept. 24. The remainder are
estimated to have their electricity back by Oct. 1.

The following chart lists affected parishes alphabetically, based on the
date all customers capable of accepting power are anticipated to have the
lights back on: 
   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 3

        Allen                                 Vernon
        East Carroll


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 4

        Bienville                             Madison
        Calcasieu                             Morehouse
        Cameron                               Tensas
        Claiborne                             Union
        Franklin                              Webster
        Jefferson Davis                       West Carroll


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 5

        Caldwell                              Lincoln
        Catahoula                             Natchitoches
        Concordia                             Ouachita
        Grant                                 Richland
        LaSalle


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 6

        Avoyelles                             Sabine
        Jackson                               Winn


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 7

        Orleans


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 8

        Acadia                                St. Landry
        Iberia                                Vermillion
        Lafayette


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 9

        Jefferson (upper portion,             St. Tammany
         including Metairie and Kenner)       Tangipahoa
        Livingston                            Washington
        St. Helena


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 10

        Ascension (except Donaldsonville)     St. John the Baptist
        St. James


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 12

        Pointe Coupee                         West Feliciana
        West Baton Rouge


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 15

        Jefferson (lower portion only)        St. Bernard
        Plaquemines                           St. Charles


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 16

        East Feliciana


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                   Sept. 24

        Ascension (Donaldsonville only)       Iberville
        Assumption                            St. Martin East
        Baton Rouge


   Parishes where restoration should be 100 percent complete by the end of
                                    Oct. 1

        Terrebonne                              Lafourche




The severe transmission damage Gustav caused across the Entergy system still
includes at least 141 transmission lines and 130 substations out of service.

Entergy has experienced extensive distribution system damage, as well. This
damage will be repaired in parallel with the transmission repairs so
distribution will be ready as soon as possible when the transmission system
repairs are made.

In terms of power outages, Gustav was the second worst storm in Entergy's
95-year history, peaking at about 850,000 early Tuesday. The only larger
number of Entergy outages was 1.1 million in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina,
which has been described as one of the worst natural disasters in American
history.

Entergy Corporation 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, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the
United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers
in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues
of more than $11 billion and approximately 14,300 employees.

For more information, go to http://www.entergy.com