Entergy Texas crews working around the clock to maintain grid reliability during extreme winter weather

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- Entergy Texas crews worked around the clock to safely restore service as quickly as possible as ice, rain and freezing temperatures moved through Southeast Texas over the weekend. Less than 24 hours after the winter storm’s initial impact, more than 99% of our 538,000 customers had power. As of 4 p.m. Monday, fewer than 800 customers remain without power and restoration efforts are ongoing.

“Winter weather conditions can cause every step of the restoration process to be more complex, so we can’t thank our customers and communities enough for their patience and understanding as our crews work throughout the day and night in extreme temperatures to restore service,” said Frank Shannon, vice president of reliability for Entergy Texas. “With colder temperatures headed our way over the next few days, we’ll continue to monitor weather conditions and adjust our teams and resources as needed.”

Cold weather restoration requires extra care

Restoring power during prolonged cold conditions is different. When electricity is re-energized after an outage, many appliances and heating systems restart at once, creating a surge known as cold load pickup. To help reduce the strain on our equipment, customers experiencing an outage should turn off or unplug major appliances. Once power is restored, appliances should be turned back on gradually.

Entergy Texas operates within MISO

While most Texans are served by utilities operating within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, Entergy Texas operates within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator region, or MISO. We continue to work closely with MISO to monitor grid conditions and prepare generators accordingly. We are prepared to address anticipated demand, but customers are encouraged to follow energy efficiency tips.

Stay safe and informed

• Get alerts: Sign up for outage and restoration notifications by text, email or phone.
• Mobile app: Download the Entergy app at com/app.
• Outage map: Visit com/viewoutages for current outage information and estimated restoration times.
• Stay in the know: Follow local media outlets for warming center locations and road condition updates.