Power outages in New Orleans have become widespread as Entergy New Orleans and Entergy Louisiana implement periodic blackouts across the region. The action, described as a last resort, comes under the direction of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the grid reliability coordinator for a massive region stretching from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
The goal of these Entergy power outages is to protect the power grid from more severe and prolonged damage, according to a statement released by the company on Thursday.
“This step is necessary to prevent a broader grid failure,” the utility emphasized. “While we understand the inconvenience, the outages are temporary and critical to maintaining overall system integrity.”
Families left in the dark as emergency rolling outages hit New Orleans
Why Is New Orleans Experiencing Power Outages?
The power outage in New Orleans isn’t due to storms or technical failures. Instead, it’s part of a load-shedding directive issued by MISO, which oversees power reliability across a vast multi-state grid. Load-shedding is a controlled shutdown of electric power to avoid system-wide blackouts when energy supply falls dangerously short of demand.
As temperatures rise and demand spikes, the strain on the electrical grid has grown beyond safe limits. MISO instructions to Entergy reflect an urgent effort to balance electric supply and demand while preventing catastrophic failures.
“Individual customers may experience multiple, short-duration outages MISO,” Entergy said. “MISO will direct Entergy to stop the outages as soon as the power shortfall is no longer a threat.”
How Long Will These Entergy Outages Last?
There is currently no exact timeline for when Entergy New Orleans will stop the blackouts. It all depends on MISO’s real-time analysis of grid stability. Customers are being told to prepare for multiple outages throughout the day, although Entergy has assured the public that it’s working to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.
In the meantime, Entergy is urging customers to:
- Reduce electricity usage when possible
- Stay updated via their Storm Center or Newsroom
- Download the Entergy App
- Sign up for outage text alerts
- Visit com/loadshed for more on supply-demand management
What Is Entergy Doing to Help?
Entergy Corporation, headquartered in New Orleans, is working closely with MISO to minimize the scope and duration of the power outages. Both Entergy Louisiana and Entergy New Orleans are subsidiaries of the Fortune 500 company, which serves over 3 million customers across Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas.
“Our top priority is ensuring reliability while keeping energy rates affordable,” Entergy said. “We continue to invest in grid resilience and clean energy solutions, including modern natural gas, nuclear, and renewable energy.”
Entergy is also known for its $100 million annual contribution to the communities it serves through philanthropy, volunteerism, and advocacy. These latest grid events test the resilience of those very communities and the company’s ability to serve them.
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Louisiana’s Broader Power Challenge
The rolling blackouts in Orleans Parish are not isolated. Entergy Louisiana is also following the MISO mandate across 58 parishes, serving over 1.1 million electricity customers. As climate events and energy demands rise, Louisiana’s energy infrastructure is facing mounting pressure to modernize and adapt.
This incident underscores the urgent need for grid improvements and MISO energy diversification in a state that already battles hurricanes, heatwaves, and high energy costs.
What You Should Do During the Outage
If you’re currently affected by a New Orleans power outage, here’s how to stay safe and informed:
- Check the Entergy Outage Map – View the latest real-time outage data on the Entergy Power Outage Map.
- Charge Devices – Keep phones and power banks charged while electricity is available.
- Reduce Usage – Turn off unnecessary appliances to ease demand.
- Check on Neighbors – Particularly the elderly or those with medical equipment.
- Avoid Elevators – If power is unstable, stay clear of elevators to avoid entrapment during sudden shutdowns.
Final Word: Stay Alert and Stay Informed
As Entergy New Orleans works to stabilize the system under MISO guidance, customers should remain prepared for intermittent blackouts and prioritize safety and conservation.
The rolling outages are a stark reminder of the fragile balance of energy in today’s interconnected systems — and how quickly it can shift. The actions taken today, though inconvenient, are aimed at preserving long-term power stability not just for New Orleans, but for the broader Louisiana and regional grid.
