JACKSON, Miss.– Entergy Mississippi was selected to receive $4.2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for upgrades to strengthen performance of its transmission system. Awarded through the Energy Department’s SPARK initiative, the federal funding will provide customers more reliable and affordable electricity with advanced technology and additional capacity along 375 miles of transmission lines in Mississippi.
“We are grateful for the partnership with the Department of Energy and Katie Jereza and her team for their strong commitment to strengthening energy resilience in our region. This investment is yet another example of Entergy’s dedication to modernizing the electric grid while exploring every avenue available to strengthen reliability and lower costs for customers. The SPARK grant is a substantial allocation and a testament to the hard work of everyone involved,” said Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO.
Through the company’s Superpower Mississippi strategy, Entergy Mississippi is investing in a stronger, smarter grid that supports the state’s continued economic growth. Entergy Mississippi’s share of this project is being made possible by revenues generated from transformative growth that is helping fund investments to improve reliability, deploy innovative technologies such as dynamic line ratings and support long-term affordability for all customers.
The grant is part of a $13.7 million award announced last month that enables Entergy and its electric companies in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas to implement dynamic line rating technology, targeted geographic surveys, substation and terminal upgrades and hardware integration across 1,125 miles of existing transmission lines. These upgrades will help the company more effectively manage its energy infrastructure in areas experiencing growth driven by business and industrial development and expansion.
“America can’t afford to let yesterday’s grid slow down tomorrow’s growth,” said Katie Jereza, assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity. “We need to move faster, think smarter, and get more power from the infrastructure we already have. This investment will help unlock capacity on existing power lines, strengthen reliability, and keep electricity affordable for American families and businesses.”
The project is designed to rapidly unlock at least a 25% increase in transfer capability on selected transmission corridors by using real-time line ratings and operational enhancements. Early modeling has shown significant opportunities to reduce congestion and use existing assets more efficiently.
By expanding the capability of existing transmission corridors, Entergy will be better positioned to support new and expanding industries across the region, helping communities attract investment and sustain long-term economic growth. By improving visibility into grid conditions, Entergy can better manage congestion, defer capital investments and reduce costs — benefits that can ultimately translate into savings for customers.
The four-year project also establishes a scalable, repeatable model for deploying advanced transmission technologies across multiple operating companies. As needs shift over time, Entergy will be able to redeploy dynamic line rating sensors to new corridors, extending the value of the investment and accelerating future modernization efforts.
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