Entergy, grid operator promise earlier warnings after Memorial Day weekend outages
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New Orleanians could get earlier warnings before the next rolling blackout, according to Entergy and the regional grid operator — a change prompted by the widespread Memorial Day weekend outages.
Why it matters: Utilities knew the grid was strained for at least 48 hours but didn't tell the public until the AC went out for about 100,000 customers on a hot holiday weekend.
The big picture: The May 25 event was an "extremely rare" transmission emergency, not a capacity issue, said Todd Hillman, senior VP and chief customer officer at Midcontinent Independent System Operator.
- Speaking to the New Orleans City Council on Tuesday, Hillman likened the agency to air traffic controllers for the power grid.
- There was enough power elsewhere, he said, but they couldn't get it to metro New Orleans to meet the demand. (MISO's full explanation)
- To prevent outages spreading throughout the region, MISO told Entergy and Cleco to cut power by specific amounts within 30 minutes.
- Entergy operators in Jackson, Mississippi, used models to select neighborhoods for the outage. (Timeline from Entergy New Orleans)
How it works: New Orleans is in a "pocket" in MISO's system, which makes it more difficult to get power to the area.
- Think of the transmission lines like bridges accessing an island, Hillman said. When only two of the three bridges are working, traffic is limited.
- MISO has done transmission line improvements elsewhere in its system, but there's a bottleneck in south Louisiana.
- Improvement projects are still in the planning phases, MISO reps said Tuesday.
Friction point: Industrial customers use 70% of the state's power, according to Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis, who was in council chambers Tuesday for the committee meeting.
- "I feel that there has been a priority by our utilities in favor of industrial customers at the expense of residential and commercial," Lewis said. "I think we have to have a big conversation about that."
Stunning stat: Louisiana's electricity customers experience more than 12 times as many hours of power outages than the national average, writes Axios' Chelsea Brasted.
What we're watching: New Orleans is working on ways to make itself more sustainable during power outages.
- It has the Community Lighthouse project, and the council is looking at microgrids and virtual power plants.
- These would use a network of solar panels and battery storage systems to serve as a backup to the grid if it goes down or there's a strain. Go deeper.
- Council President JP Morrell tells Axios he expects the council to make a decision this year about the virtual power plants.
Zoom out: More communication has been an ongoing theme in recent council meetings.
- Members want to get information to the public sooner, especially through the NOLA Ready text system.
- Examples: The jail outbreak and neutral ground parking.
What's next: The Louisiana Public Service Commission will hear from MISO and Entergy Louisiana at its June 18 meeting about the power outages and the transmission situation.