Power restoration for the area after Hurricane Ida is slowing down, but it is not for a lack of hard work, according to officials with the power company.
Basically, Entergy has picked the low-hanging fruit. But Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May says that puts more workers into harder-hit areas.
"We've been able to shift those additional crews into those hardest-hit areas, so the River Parishes, Tangipahoa and so forth, and parts south, and we are laser-focused on restoring power as quickly as possible," May explained.
The damage in the coastal areas and parts of Louisiana where Hurricane Ida's center passed directly overhead is more severe and will require a lot more work.
"We really, again, need to, you know, shift as much as possible down towards the bayou," said Entergy VP of Distribution Operations John Hawkins.
Hawkins says getting 100,000 customers restored in a day after this storm is not going to happen any more, as they repair more-severe damage in less-densely populated areas.
In St. Tammany Parish power has been restored to nearly all of the parish.
“I am happy to say, each day more and more business, homes and institutions have been provided power. And, today I can say that Cleco, Washington-St. Tammany, and Entergy all report 99% restoration of power,” said St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper.
As of 9 a.m. Friday, the Louisiana Public Service commission reports more than 95 percent of St. Charles Parish customers are still without power. In Lafourche Parish, the outages are more than 93 percent. Terrebonne and St. John the Baptist Parishes are more than 80 and 70 percent without power, respectively.
More than 43 percent of customers in Plaquemines Parish are awaiting restoration. Jefferson Parish is more than 91 percent restored, but significant outages remain in Grand Isle and Barataria.
Livingston and Tangipahoa are more than two thirds reconnected.
New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish are almost fully restored.
