Winter weather system has arrived in Entergy Mississippi’s service area, bringing snow and ice to some of the communities we serve. We are monitoring these evolving weather conditions, including forecasts that are predicting the severe weather will continue into Sunday. Extremely cold temperatures and hazardous road conditions in many areas are expected to extend for multiple days throughout our territory. Our crews are staying safe and ready to respond as soon as the weather improves.
The impact of ice storms is very difficult to predict, and ice is particularly harmful to electrical lines. Historical storm data suggests this winter weather event could cause widespread and extended power outages across an unusually broad multi-state area. The forecast calls for freezing rain and more than ½ inch of ice in several portions of our service area. Freezing rain sticks to power lines in a very small temperature range (2 or 3 degrees, just below freezing). At ½ inch, ice accumulation on power lines can add 500 pounds of extra weight.
Prepared and positioned to respond
Safety is a core value and always comes first. Then, restoring power is the top priority and first order of business. We assemble and organize the workforce needed to restore service safely and quickly to all customers.
Entergy Mississippi has more than 2,100 workers ready to respond across the service area, including line workers, damage assessors, vegetation crews, engineers and support personnel. These resources include company employees, contractors and mutual aid resources coming from throughout the country. Crews are strategically positioned to allow for faster restoration as outages occur.
In addition, Entergy Mississippi has established three staging sites, in Greenville, Cleveland and Grenada, with turnkey lodging to support restoration efforts. These staging sites allow crews to acquire materials, refuel and remain close to impacted areas, allowing for faster restoration if outages occur. We also have crews positioned at local offices throughout our service area.
How to prepare
Mississippi encourages customers to take the following steps:
- Charge mobile devices and backup battery packs.
- Prepare an emergency kit with flashlights, batteries, medications and important documents.
- If using a generator, operate it outdoors and away from windows and doors.
- Stay clear of downed power lines and report them immediately.
Entergy Mississippi will continue to provide updates as weather conditions change and restoration efforts progress.
Customers experiencing outages should report them using the Entergy mobile app, at entergy.com, or by calling 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243). Customers can also visit our Storm Center to track outage updates and restoration progress online.
Customers should stay aware and stay safe
- The most dangerous part of a storm is often just after it has passed. Hazards are all around us following severe winter weather – from downed electric lines and equipment or personal generator risks.
- Personal generators are very useful if your power is disrupted by a winter storm, but they also can be hazardous. The primary hazards to avoid when using a generator are carbon monoxide poisoning from toxic engine exhaust, electric shock or electrocution and fire.
- Drive only on roadways and bridges that are passable, and if a power line falls on your vehicle while driving, continue to drive away from the line.
Customers can learn more about storm safety on the company’s Storm Center website.
We’re here to help
We are committed to delivering affordable, safe power to the communities we serve and helping customers manage their electric usage to generate savings on their bill. Customers are encouraged to visit billtoolkit.entergy.com for additional resources.
