NEW ORLEANS — Back in February, New Orleans City Council members finalized a resolution that directed Entergy to submit a storm hardening plan complete with costs, time frames, and benefits.
The deadline had already been extended multiple times, but we’re finally getting a look at the first part of Entergy’s $1 billion plan, which was filed Monday.
If approved, it would come in two, five-year phases and would begin in 2024.
Entergy says it kept 3 things in mind:
- The need to mitigate impact of major storms
- Investing in projects where customer benefit outweighs cost
- Feasibility considering labor, materials, and other constraints.
Phase One is a $559 million project. It’s meant to shore up projects, making it cheaper and easier to get the power back on after a major storm.
That includes hardening the 23-mile line that crosses Lake Pontchartrain. Entergy would like new structures built to withstand wind up to 150 miles per hour.
It also includes putting about 2 miles of lines underground and replacing 12,000 poles to hold up to 140 miles per hour.
The full project, over 10 years, includes hardening more than 26,600 structures over more than 500 line miles.
What’s the increase on your bill? Entergy says 20 cents per month next year, and maybe as much as $12 by 2028.
New Orleans City Council will be taking a look at the more-than 300-page document from here.
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