Entergy welcomed energy industry leaders near and far to New Orleans
EEI 2025: Touting resilient infrastructure, giving back and leading the way
Recently, the Edison Electric Institute, the industry association that represents all investor-owned electric companies in the United States, held its annual conference in New Orleans – drawing more than 1,300 electric company employees, government leaders, technology partners and innovators, policymakers, regulators and many others. Highlights from the conference included discussions around grid resilience, industry innovation and the growing demand for electricity – preparing today for the needs of tomorrow.
Entergy teams played a key role in welcoming attendees and hosted a few key main events:
- Our resilience tour: Some attendees embarked on our resilience tour viewing Entergy’s 230-kilovolt transmission line that crosses the Mississippi River – on the ground in Avondale at the foot of the 475-foot tower. Each structure that sits on either side of the river weighs approximately 658,000 pounds and was built to withstand 175-mph winds.
- Welcoming the Governor: Chair and CEO Drew Marsh moderated an engaging keynote conversation with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry regarding growth within Louisiana, our corporate home, and how the company and government officials are collaborating to attract new business that benefits all across our state.
- Giving back: Entergy brought members of EEI’s Emerging Energy Leaders Program to help sort food at Second Harvest Food Bank. Volunteers came from across the country, donned their company shirts and pitched in to help the non-profit prepare food supplies for the community.
- Celebrating top of the class: Entergy’s Drew Thompson, manager, distribution reliability, graduated as valedictorian of the 2024 cohort of the Emerging Energy Leaders Program. This is a year-long initiative where participants engage in member company site tours, leadership panels, EEI board meetings and other career-developing programming.
“The demand growth that’s taking place across the country and in Entergy’s service area is unlike anything we have seen in recent history—and, in some ways, ever,”
EEI’s June issue of Electric Perspectives magazine included a cover feature on Entergy’s growth story, as well as a story on the transmission projects being developed to support the Hyundai Steel Plant. “The demand growth that’s taking place across the country and in Entergy’s service area is unlike anything we have seen in recent history—and, in some ways, ever,” Marsh told Electric Perspectives.
He also emphasized that “low energy costs and abundant energy transportation have long been drivers of economic activity in our region. They’re part of the reason why Meta is investing $10 billion to build a 1,500-megawatt data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana, why Amazon Web Services is dedicating $16 billion to a 650-MW data center project in Madison County, Mississippi, and why Hyundai Motor Group is planning to build a $5.8-billion steel manufacturing facility in Donaldsonville, Louisiana.”
More coverage of EEI 2025 can be found on the Electric Perspectives website, including a podcast recorded live in New Orleans that features Marsh and President and CEO of Entergy Louisiana Phillip May. Also listen to an in-depth discussion with government officials, community partners and others about the changing energy landscape and its expected impact, led by media outlet The Hill.
EEI’s Emerging Energy Leaders program visited New Orleans, La., June 2025
