Louisiana - Southeast Louisiana is experiencing a major power outage, with nearly 100,000 residents initially left without electricity on Wednesday evening, according to reports from local officials and utility companies. The blackout stretches from the North Shore to New Orleans, impacting communities across the West Bank and St. Bernard Parish.
By 7:30 p.m., power had been restored to some areas. However, approximately 50,000 customers remained in the dark, waiting for updates from Entergy and Cleco, the region's primary electricity providers.
Cause: Emergency Load Shed Ordered by MISO
Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta, who represents Louisiana’s District 1, confirmed that the outages are the result of a load shed event. In this context, "load shedding" refers to an emergency, temporary shutdown of electric power in parts of the distribution system. The purpose is to prevent a total blackout when demand for electricity exceeds supply, often due to extreme weather, high temperatures, or unexpected equipment failures.
Skrmetta explained that the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)—the regional authority responsible for managing and distributing electricity—directed Entergy and Cleco to cut power to thousands of customers. Such directives are rare and typically implemented only to maintain the stability of the overall power grid.
From Entergy Louisiana at 6 pm, "Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans have started periodic power outages for its customers. The company is taking this action as directed by its reliability coordinator, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, as a last resort and in order to prevent a more extensive, prolonged power outage that could severely affect the reliability of the power grid. Additionally, Entergy continues to follow a directive by MISO to reduce load."
Louisiana Public Service Commission District 1 includes Jefferson, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes.
What Residents Should Know
According to energy experts, load shedding is a controlled process. While inconvenient, it is designed to prevent a much larger and longer-lasting blackout. Residents are encouraged to:
- Stay informed through official utility updates and local news sources.
- Avoid calling 911 for power outage reports unless there is an immediate emergency, such as downed power lines or fire.
- Keep refrigerators and freezers closed to preserve food during an outage.
- Use flashlights instead of candles to reduce fire risk.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Louisiana’s electricity grid, especially during periods of high demand or extreme weather.