New Orleans, La. – Entergy has won the Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Assistance Award for outstanding efforts in helping Florida utilities restore electric service in the wake of the destruction levied by four massive hurricanes over a five-week period in 2004.
 

This marks the seventh consecutive emergency award Entergy has received from EEI. The company has won either EEI’s “Emergency Assistance Award” or “Emergency Response Award” every year that they have been offered by the association. Entergy is the only utility in the nation to do so.
 

EEI’s “Emergency Assistance Award” is presented annually to recognize outstanding efforts in restoring electric service that has been disrupted by severe weather conditions or other natural events. Winners are chosen by a panel of judges following a national nomination process. Awards were presented during EEI’s winter CEO meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona.
 

In an almost unprecedented series of events, Florida and the Southeast were punished by Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne from mid-August to late September, carving a broad swath of destruction and stranding customers without power from Miami to Biloxi.
 

Entergy was spared the brunt of these storms and was proud to be able to send much needed help to its eastern neighbors.
 

At the peak level of support following Ivan, Entergy sent more than 650 company personnel, plus contractors, to restore electric service in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Some employees worked multiple storms and spent many weeks away from home.
 

“The havoc wreaked by these four hurricanes prompted a massive call to action, and Entergy was among the first to answer that call,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “Because of the tireless efforts to restore power under very demanding conditions, it is a privilege to honor the men and women of Entergy with this award.”
 

While the assistance award honors companies that help other utilities in their recovery efforts, EEI’s “Emergency Response Award” is given to utilities that respond to major outages within their own service territories. Entergy’s seven EEI emergency awards include:

-30-
Entergy’s online address is www.entergy.com.