News Summary

New Orleans is experiencing rolling power outages following a directive from MISO aimed at preventing a larger blackout. The outages, which started impacting customers around 4:30 PM, affected up to 100,000 individuals across several parishes. Local officials have voiced concerns over the lack of warning from MISO and the state of the energy infrastructure. Entergy is working to restore power, emphasizing the need for better communication and improvements in energy management amidst rising demand.

New Orleans Experiences Rolling Power Outages Due to MISO Directive

New Orleans, LA – Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans have implemented rolling power outages across their service areas as directed by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). This emergency measure is aimed at preventing a more widespread and potentially long-term blackout amid increasing power demand and operating difficulties.

As a result of MISO’s load-shed order, issued with minimal notice on Sunday afternoon, Entergy began periodic outages around 4:30 PM affecting numerous regions, including Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard parishes. At the height of the outages, approximately 100,000 customers found themselves without power across New Orleans and its surrounding areas.

Local officials expressed their dismay regarding the abrupt nature of the order, which provided utilities with only a three-minute warning. The lack of timely communication from MISO caused significant frustration among city leaders, including City Council President JP Morrell, Vice President Helena Moreno, and Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis. They underscored the importance of a better infrastructure response to prevent future disruptions.

The persistent outages were attributed to multiple factors, including a generator being offline for routine maintenance and a secondary generator experiencing failure. These situations, combined with a surge in power demand, created conditions necessitating an intentional load reduction to ensure grid stability during a power shortfall threat.

Customers may experience multiple outages throughout this period, as Entergy and MISO continue to monitor and adjust the grid’s load to maintain service. Certain neighborhoods, notably Lakeview, Gentilly, and parts of Mid-City, reported significant power loss during this time.

By 7 PM on Sunday, Entergy announced that power had been restored to many affected areas, indicating that the emergency outages were anticipated to end soon. Although improvements were made by 11 PM, some regions still reported ongoing outages, indicating the challenges faced throughout the restoration process.

Entergy Louisiana serves over 1.1 million customers while Entergy New Orleans caters to more than 209,000 customers. Despite efforts to stabilize service, local officials are raising concerns about the infrastructure’s capacity to handle surges in demand, given that this incident marks the third load shed in Louisiana since April. Aptly, these incidents further emphasize the need for enhanced communication and systematic improvements for future outages.

Customers have been encouraged to stay informed about the situation by utilizing Entergy’s mobile app and website, along with monitoring updates through local news channels. The current rolling outages serve as a reminder of the challenges faced in managing energy resources, especially during periods of unconventional strain on the electrical grid.

As this situation develops, Entergy and MISO will continue to work closely to ensure the stability of the energy supply across New Orleans and surrounding regions while addressing the issues that have led to these recent outages.

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

• WDSU: Entergy Reporting Thousands Without Power in New Orleans
• Entergy Newsroom: Entergy Louisiana and New Orleans Initiate Power Outages
• NOLA: Nearly 100,000 Affected by Power Outage Across Metro New Orleans
• Wikipedia: Power Outage
• WWLTV: New Orleans Power Outage Updates
• Google Search: Power Outage New Orleans
• Hindustan Times: Entergy New Orleans Map and Power Outage Cause Revealed
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Electric Power