New Orleans, La. – Entergy New Orleans, Inc., Entergy Louisiana, LLC and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, L.L.C. continue to monitor Tropical Storm Lee and prepare for its potential impact to Louisiana. The storm is expected to make landfall near the Morgan City area on Sunday morning.

Entergy’s utility companies in Louisiana are preparing for the possibility that strong winds, higher tides, rain and flooding could affect the companies’ service territories in southern Louisiana. Entergy’s line crews and contractors will be positioned near the areas that could be impacted. Wind gusts and flooding could extend restoration times in some areas, but crews will be prepared to safely restore service to customers as quickly as possible when conditions permit.

The company reminds customers to stay away from downed power lines and to call 1-800-9OUTAGE toll-free to report electric or gas outages. Customers can also visit the Entergy Storm Center website at entergystormcenter.com for the latest updates and outage information.

Entergy urges customers to monitor the storm and to prepare to implement their own storm plans if needed.

To prepare for the 2011 hurricane season, the utility companies have:

• Enhanced storm-restoration models to provide quicker assessments and restoration times.
• Completed more than 4,300 miles of vegetation management. Approximately 5,800 miles of vegetation management will be completed this year.
• Used infrared to inspect major lines in order to detect potential problems before they occur. An emphasis was placed on lines serving hospitals and major response facilities.
• Conducted proactive inspections of primary lines to identify potential problems and perform preventative maintenance.
• Installed “switching” devices in strategic areas. These devices can reroute power flow, helping to reduce outage length for customers.
• Installed a new technology called a “fault-location tool” on more than 80 major feeder lines that can help pinpoint damage locations for faster restoration. The device sends a message to Entergy’s Distribution Operations Center, notifying the company of potential issues (such as a tree limb on a power line). This allows crews to be dispatched directly to the damaged area for faster restoration.
• Renewed and strengthened mutual-assistance agreements, contractor alliances and partnerships with key governmental agencies.

Additionally, the company has prepared a severe weather guide for customers that contains a wealth of information related to preparing for a storm. Operation: Storm Ready can be accessed at entergystormcenter.com.

Tips to follow before a storm:

• Stock up on nonperishable food, medicine, baby supplies and pet food. Keep a first-aid kit and manual handy. Have a non-electric can opener on hand.
• Purchase bottled water. The American Red Cross recommends one gallon of water per person per day.
• Check emergency equipment such as flashlights, battery-operated radios, extension cords, emergency generators, etc. Buy extra batteries.
• Keep extra cash on hand, since an electrical power outage may prevent you from withdrawing money from automatic teller machines or banks.
• Turn your refrigerator to its coldest setting. If the power goes out, this will keep food fresh longer. Keep the refrigerator closed – most food will stay frozen or fresh up to 12 hours.
• Turn off and unplug any unnecessary electrical equipment, especially sensitive electronics.
• Place critical documents such as birth certificates, insurance documents, special pictures, etc., in a safe box.
• Fill your vehicle’s gas tank.

Entergy New Orleans, Inc. is an electric and gas utility serving Orleans Parish and is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. The company provides electricity to more than 160,000 customers and natural gas to more than 100,000 customers in Orleans Parish.

Entergy’s Louisiana utility companies serve more than one million customers through the operating companies Entergy Louisiana, LLC and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, L.L.C. With operations in southern, central and northeastern Louisiana, the companies are part of Entergy Corporation’s electric system serving 2.7 million customers in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas.

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