When a community grows, reliable electric service must grow with it. That is exactly what the new Millbend substation and transmission line project was designed to do – deliver reliable power for families and businesses in one of the fastest growing areas in the country.

Community leaders, local partners and Entergy employees gathered Jan. 7 to celebrate the completion of the project, a major milestone for East Montgomery County. The new substation is part of Entergy Texas’ Southeast Texas Energy Plan, also known as STEP Ahead, which focuses on investing ahead of growth to support customers, strengthen reliability and help communities thrive. Once fully in service, the Millbend substation will be able to serve nearly 100 megawatts of electricity, which is enough capacity to support new homes, schools and businesses for decades.

“Usually, the conversation around infrastructure is ‘why are we always playing catch up?’” said Mark Linabury, President, East Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. “I am so proud to see Entergy’s proactive approach. They’re making sure there’s enough power for our area as more business is coming.”

Linabury was joined by Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, who added, “This project is about the security of the people of this community. Entergy’s commitment to excellence and communication throughout the progress of this project was second to none.”

Powering a growing region

Growth along the I-69 corridor has accelerated in recent years, with new neighborhoods and commercial development reshaping the area. To make sure electric service kept pace, Entergy Texas began planning the Millbend project several years ago with a clear goal: strengthen the system before demand outpaced it.

That proactive plan is now a reality. The new project is now implemented to ensure customers have the reliable power they need as the region continues to expand, without having to play catch-up later.

As East Montgomery County continues to grow, projects like Millbend help ensure we keep pace with demand in a way that delivers lasting value to our customers. Growth helps us maintain our rates, which are consistently among the lowest in Texas over the last decade, because costs are shared across a larger number of customers.

Built for reliability and resiliency

At its core, the Millbend project is about making the electric system stronger and smarter. By adding capacity and an extra hub to flow electricity through the area, the project reduces strain on existing lines and helps limit how many customers are affected when outages do occur.

The new substation includes modern equipment that can automatically shift power to other lines if there’s a problem, which helps shorten outage times, especially during extreme heat or severe weather. For customers, that transla

tes to fewer interruptions and a more resilient system when it matters most.

“Projects like Millbend are about building a stronger, smarter system that can better withstand severe storms and high-wind events, which frequently impact our region,” said Stuart Barrett, Vice President of Customer Service for Entergy Texas. “By modernizing our infrastructure now, we’re helping businesses stay open, keeping families safe during storms and helping our communities recover more quickly when severe weather occurs.”

A project built with the community

From early planning through construction, Entergy Texas teams worked closely with local leaders, landowners and community members to keep communication open and address concerns along the way. That collaboration helped ensure the project reflected the needs of the community it serves.

After nearly five years of collaborative planning, the completion of the Millbend project represents a shared investment in East Montgomery County’s future. The ribbon cutting marks not just the end of construction, but the beginning of a stronger, more reliable electric system built to support continued growth, improve existing service and keep the region powered for decades to come.