Even before Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana, OG&E crews were already on their way to assist.
They arrived on Aug. 29th, to Jefferson Parish, in and around Metairie, to help restore power to Entergy Louisiana customers.
OG&E provided a status of their response effort in Louisiana:
- More than 270 OG&E crew members, including line crew members, vegetation specialists, support staff have been deployed
- More than 50 OG&E trucks were sent to Jefferson Parish communities
- Crews are working 16-hour days, including a commute from their Lafayette-area lodging
- Crews completed one of three circuits they are working in the area, and have made great progress on the other two
“Our crews mobilized to join the response effort six days ago, immediately after the damage occurred, to help bring their power back online – removing obtrusive and damaged vegetation, and repairing downed lines, poles and transformers,” said Andrea Dennis, OG&E VP of Transmission and Distribution Operations. “We know that restoring electricity is critical to helping the residents of Jefferson Parish and surrounding communities begin to address the damage and return to working and caring for their families.”
According to Entergy Louisiana, at the storms peak, about 904,000 of its customers were without power.
Hurricane Ida's 150 mile per hour winds damaged thousands of power poles and more than 5,000 transformers.
The water and debris caused by the storm is limiting crews' access to the hardest hit areas.
This left many without power in the heat of the summer.
“With the level of damage we are seeing, it would take months for one company to repair on its own,” Dennis said. “One of the most rewarding aspects of our jobs is the opportunity to have an immediate, positive impact upon the lives of individuals who are experiencing loss and disaster. As part of our mutual assistance program, OG&E is proud join the 21,000 workers from utility companies outside of Louisiana who have answered the call to assist.”