On-Site Power

Entergy Louisiana provides backup generators for senior housing community through ‘Power Through’ program

The Power Through program, developed by Entergy, focuses on providing an “affordable solution” to backup power and supporting community resilience in Louisiana.
Entergy Louisiana provides backup generators for senior housing community through ‘Power Through’ program
Partners Southeast, in collaboration with Entergy Louisiana, announced a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the installation of two backup generators as part of the utility’s “Power Through” program (Credit: Partners Southeast / Entergy Louisiana)

Entergy Louisiana announced the installation of two backup generators at a senior living community as part of the utility’s “Power Through” program.

The generators – which were funded by developer Partners Southeast – were installed at Cypress Pinchback, a mixed-income housing community for Baton Rouge’s seniors. The Power Through program, developed by Entergy, focuses on providing an “affordable solution” to backup power and supporting community resilience in Louisiana.

Entergy said the program’s benefits are two-fold: First, the natural gas generators provide backup power to Cypress Pinchback if the facility were to experience a power outage. Second, the generators will send power to Entergy’s electric system during peak demand.

“After the 2016 floods, the State of Louisiana concluded that our senior citizens were the most vulnerable population impacted by disaster response, recovery, and housing challenges,” said J. Wesley Daniels Jr., CEO of Partners Southeast. “Now, with Entergy’s Power Through solution, our seniors at Cypress Pinchback will have the safety, comfort and security of uninterrupted power.”

The 99-unit residential community features amenities like community rooms, outdoor areas, a gym, and wellness center. The new power solution is meant to help ensure seniors’ needs are met, such as keeping medications cool and maintaining essential power.

Earlier this year, Entergy Louisiana proposed another form of backup power: a floating natural gas power station. In March, the utility has filed a request with the Louisiana Public Service Commission for approval to construct the Bayou Power Station, a $411 million, 112 MW floating natural gas power station. The project is aimed at improving resilience and reliability for communities and industries along the coast. Situated atop a barge across from a substation in Leeville, the power station would play a role in supporting areas like Port Fourchon, Golden Meadow, Leeville, and Grand Isle through a microgrid system.

Key components of Entergy Louisiana’s overall project would include the construction of Bayou Power Station, expansion of the Leeville substation, and transmission connections. The microgrid system would provide backup power during outages, serving a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial customers, including industries located at Port Fourchon.

Entergy Louisiana says the addition of Bayou Power Station would complement projects that have been completed over the past few years to build resilience into the electric system near the coast. Examples of these projects include the Caminada substation, which was elevated 20 feet off the ground on a concrete platform; upgrading around seven miles of transmission lines with about 80 steel structures between Cut Off and Golden Meadow; and undergrounding around eight miles of distribution lines along Louisiana Highway 1 from Leeville to Grand Isle and taking strategic steps to fortify the overhead electric system in the area.