11% of St. John Parish remains without power; Entergy crews work through tropical weather from Nicholas

Published 12:42 pm Wednesday, September 15, 2021

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LAPLACE — As of Wednesday morning, only 11% of Entergy customers in St. John the Baptist Parish remained without power.

In a Wednesday update, Entergy Louisiana shared that it has energized the feeder in LaPlace that serves customers along Airline Highway from the Spillway to Highway 51, along with the Belle Pointe feeder that serves Ochsner and several commercial businesses along Airline Highway and Reserve from Central Avenue to River Road.

LaPlace medical facilities, the St. John VA clinic, multiple hotels in the area and the LaPlace Walmart have received power. Power has also been restored to some commercial customers along West 10th Street. Central to River Road and Airline Highway from Highway 51 to Total Choice Credit Union have been energized, as well as feeders in Garyville and Edgard.

Entergy officials stated, “We are continuing to work on the feeders coming out of the LaPlace Substation, Belle Point and Dutch Bayou.  Congestion and rear access poles continue to pose challenges, but our crews are working with local officials and bringing in necessary equipment to address.  Crews are working River Road in Reserve, parts of River Land Estate in LaPlace, Lucy, Edgard, Wallace and the west bank of the parish as well as commercial and residential areas throughout the parish.”

St. James Parish is almost fully restored, with only 7% of customers remaining without power Wednesday morning. Power has been restored to St. James High School, the water treatment plant in Lutcher and Gramercy, Lutcher Sr. Citizens home, Noranda Alumina, Louisiana Sugar Refinery and River Road from Veterans bridge to VNM Motors. St. James Parish Hospital and Louisiana Sugar Refinery were also restored, along with customers along River Road in Convent restored.

Entergy stated, “Crews continue to make good progress at Convent, Uncle Sam and Vacherie Substations, and we energized feeders coming out of those substations in Lutcher and Vacherie.  Additionally, Vacherie Elementary School, Sixth Ward Elementary School in Vacherie, and the Gramercy sewer lift station were restored.  Crews are working the west bank of the parish as well as commercial and residential areas throughout the parish.”

In St. Charles Parish, approximately 45% of customers remain without power. Critical customers have been restored, including St. Charles Parish Hospital in Luling, which also allowed power restoration to several connected businesses and residential customers such as St. Charles Ochsner Hospital, a water treatment plant, several sewer-lift stations, Ashton Manor Nursing Home, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff‘s Office, St. Charles Parish Community Center, the Parish Performance Arts Center, St. Charles Parish Courthouse, the St. Charles Parish EOC and Montz Town Hall.

Additionally, Entergy has energized two large Luling residential neighborhoods along with residents in the Hahnville area.  In Destrehan, crews are working on the feeders along the railroad that service customers around I-310 and River Road.  Along Airline Highway that serves customers on each side of I-310, repairs on this feeder are 80% complete.  Feeders along Jonathon Street have been restored.  In Luling, crews have energized feeders along Highway 90 between Monsanto and Paul Maillard Road.

Feeders being repaired from Monsanto Recreation Area to Paul Maillard Road.  In Paradis, feeders to Phillips 66 energized.  Crews are restoring service along Bayou Gauche, and the work is 80% complete.  Crew restoring service along Hwy-90 in Des Allemands and is about 80% complete.

Weather Updates

Entergy crews will stay safe as Nicholas affects Ida restoration. They will shelter in either their trucks or another safe site if lightning is within 10 miles of a work location. In addition, teams cannot put their buckets in the air when winds are greater than 30 mph. Please know, once conditions improve, Entergy will resume work to restore power quickly and safely.

Hurricane Nicholas has been downgraded to a tropical depression, and the storm should slowly cross southern Louisiana today. Heaviest rainfall should occur across south Louisiana to the Florida panhandle through Thursday. An estimated 6 to 10 inches of rainfall is expected from southeast Louisiana eastward, with some locations receiving up to 12 inches.