Entergy Louisiana recently began construction of an approximately $100 million transmission project that aims to build resilience and increase the reliability of its electric grid in southwest Louisiana. The project will also increase capacity to help attract new economic development projects in southwest Louisiana and benefit existing residential, commercial and industrial customers.
The Mud Lake to Big Lake transmission project spans from an existing substation west of Mud Lake near the Calcasieu and Cameron parish line to a new substation being built near Tank Farm and Big Lake roads in Lake Charles.
The project will take place in phases and is scheduled for completion next summer. Major components of the project include:
- Construction of nearly 15 miles of (230kV and 69kV) transmission lines
- Construction of a new substation, the Big Lake substation
- Upgrades at three existing substations, including Mud Lake substation
- Installation of about 150 poles or structures
Depending on location and accessibility, portions of the new transmission line will be built to withstand winds up to 140 and 150 mph, with a crossing at Calcasieu River and Intracoastal Waterway being built to withstand winds of up to 175 mph.
“The Mud Lake to Big Lake transmission project is another example of Entergy Louisiana taking steps to build not only a more resilient power grid, but also more resilient communities,” said Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana president and CEO. “Southwest Louisiana is continuing to come back stronger and we’re proud to be an active participant in helping the area do just that by installing robust infrastructure that supports existing customers and increases electrical capacity that creates room for growth.”
Other recent transmission projects that added resilience to the electric grid and fared well during severe weather include the Lake Charles Transmission Project and Southwest Louisiana Transmission Upgrade.
Aside from projects that add resilience to the electric grid, Entergy Louisiana also performs reliability work throughout the year. This includes trimming trees, inspecting and upgrading equipment and installing smart devices that help reduce the number of customers affected by an outage and how long the outage lasts.
