Preparation keyed Entergy’s responses to Katrina, Rita

John Javetski

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The hurricane season of 2005 produced two of the most destructive storms in U.S. history: Katrina, a Category 3 hurricane that made its second landfall in Buras, La., on August 29, and Rita, a Category 3 that hit just east of Sabine Pass, Texas, on September 24. In the back-to-back strikes, Katrina and Rita pummeled the coastal regions of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, causing record power outages and widespread transmission and distribution failures across Entergy Corp.’s service territory.


Table 1. Katrina: Timeline of events Source: Entergy


Table 2. Rita: Timeline of events. Source: Entergy

The majority of Entergy’s 30 fossil-fueled units in the hurricanes’ paths escaped major damage. Most were returned to service in a matter of days once repairs were completed and off-site power was restored (see tables and the map, Figure 1).


Table 3. Plants affected by the hurricanes. Source: Entergy


1. Eight was enough. The power plants affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Courtesy: Entergy

Two plants near New Orleans—Michoud and Paterson—experienced severe flooding from Katrina. Michoud was shut down the day before the storm hit, and Paterson already was out of service when Katrina approached. For several months following the storm, Entergy planned to keep both plants off-line indefinitely due to the low electrical demand in the New Orleans area; however, demand has rebounded and is about 70% of pre-Katrina levels today.

Because Michoud Units 2 and 3 later were designated “must run” units, Entergy switched gears and began making the repairs needed to return them to service. Michoud 2 was put back on-line on April 11, and Michoud 3 is expected to join it by the end of June. By the end of this summer, only Michoud 1 and all three units at Paterson (including a black-start unit intended to provide start-up juice to other plants in the area) are expected to remain off-line.

Wind damage and flooding, especially after Katrina, crippled communications systems and highways throughout the region, making it very difficult to obtain and transport essential supplies such as fuel, ice, food, and water. Even worse, 30 Entergy Fossil employees lost their homes to the storm; the company provided temporary living quarters for them and their families.

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