THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Entergy Texas crews made significant progress overnight restoring power to communities impacted by Edouard. As of 10 a.m. Thursday, crews have restored power to more than 70% of the approximately 80,000 customers impacted by the storm, and we expect to have more than 90% of impacted customers restored by the end of today.

As of 10 a.m., approximately 23,000 customers remain without power. Remaining outages are primarily concentrated in the Beaumont, Silsbee, Port Arthur and Orange areas. Estimated restoration information, including the day and time we expect to turn the lights back on for all remaining communities without power, are available on the View Outage Map. The restoration timeframes you see on the outage map directly reflect the severity of damage in these communities and the careful, methodical repair work required to restore service safely.

Damage assessments have identified approximately 198 damaged poles, 81 damaged transformers, 233 damaged crossarms and 561 spans of downed wire. These totals may increase as crews reach locations that have been difficult to access. Where possible, restoration happens in parallel with assessments.

Pictured: Strong winds from Edouard toppled a backyard tree onto a fence in the Golden Triangle area.

Although weather conditions have improved, the effects of Edouard continue to create challenges for restoration crews. Flooded and blocked roads, saturated ground, fallen trees and debris are limiting access to damaged equipment in several areas. According to the National Weather Service, additional showers and thunderstorms are possible Thursday, and flood warnings remain in effect for portions of Southeast Texas.

Crews are using specialized equipment, including high-water vehicles, rear-alley machines, helicopters and drones, to assess damage and reach difficult locations. More than 2,000 workers, including lineworkers, vegetation crews, damage assessors and support personnel, will continue working around the clock until every customer who can safely receive power is restored.

Make sure your home or business is ready for us to restore power

Customers whose neighborhoods have been restored but remain without power may have damage to electrical equipment attached to their home or business. A licensed electrician must repair damaged equipment before Entergy can safely restore service.

Outage totals may fluctuate as crews isolate damaged portions of the system to safely complete repairs or as saturated trees and limbs fall onto electrical equipment. This does not mean restoration work has stopped.

Stay safe during restoration

Customers should continue to use caution around floodwaters, debris and electrical equipment:

• Stay away from downed power lines and anything they may be touching. Always assume a downed line is energized.
• Do not walk or drive through floodwaters. Flooding can hide electrical hazards and other dangers.
• Do not trim trees or remove debris near downed power lines. Only qualified crews should remove vegetation touching electrical equipment.
• Keep a safe distance from crews and work zones so employees can safely complete restoration work.
• If using a generator, follow all manufacturer instructions and never operate it indoors or in an enclosed space.
• Report downed or damaged power lines by calling 1-800-9OUTAGE (1-800-968-8243).
• To stay informed, visit Entergy’s online Storm Center for storm updates and use the Entergy app for updates on your service.

About Entergy Texas

Entergy Texas provides electricity to approximately 538,000 customers in 27 counties. Entergy generates, transmits and distributes electricity to power life for more than 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Its customers are connected to the Midcontinent Independent System Operator Inc. power grid, which is a regional transmission organization responsible for administering the transmission systems of member utilities in 15 states stretching across the central region of the United States and Manitoba, Canada. We’re focused on keeping costs for our customers as low as possible while providing reliable energy that our communities count on. We’re also investing in growth for the future with a more resilient, cleaner energy system that includes modern natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy generation. As a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship, we deliver more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to the communities we serve through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. Learn more at EntergyTexas.com and connect with @EntergyTX on social media.