A round of thunderstorms with heavy rains, high winds and lightning moved through Southeast Texas the morning of May 27, resulting in widespread outages across the Entergy Texas service area. As of 11 a.m., approximately 18,000 customers are without power, down from a peak of 31,760 customer outages at 3:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Damage assessments are underway, and the majority of impacted customers are expected to be restored by tonight. However, customers in heavily impacted areas could experience extended outages.

Entergy Texas requested more than 300 additional resources to help expedite restoration efforts. A restoration workforce, including lineworkers, damage assessors, vegetation workers and support personnel, are working around the clock to safely turn the lights back on as quickly as possible.

For real-time updates, customers are encouraged to visit Entergy’s View Outage map. These estimates are subject to change as damage assessment continues, and possible additional weather impact expected throughout the day in some areas.

As with any weather event, please be mindful of the following safety tips:

Live wires can be deadly. Stay away from downed power lines. Call 1-800-9OUTAGE or 1-800-968-8243 to report downed or dangling power lines, damaged or downed poles or other damaged equipment.
Do not trim trees or remove debris on or near downed power lines. Only power company crews or their contractors should remove trees or limbs touching power lines. Again, stay away from downed power lines.
Keep away from the immediate areas where crews are working. There is always the danger of moving equipment and the possibility of construction materials, limbs or overhead wires falling to the ground.
If you plan on using a generator for temporary power, get a licensed electrician and disconnect from the utility electric system before hooking up to your main electric panel.
Do not run a generator in a confined space without adequate ventilation. Use them only outdoors, following all manufacturers' safety guidelines.
Turn off any electrical appliances that can easily be turned to the off position until power is restored.

We want to keep you informed and in control. Here are some of the platforms we use to provide updates:

·Download the Entergy App at entergyapp.com. Customers can use the app to report outages or check on the status of power at their home or business.

·Entergy’s View Outages website includes maps that show where outages are located and gives information about restoration progress.

·Register for outage text alerts through myEntergy. Customers should update their notification preferences to participate in text alerts. Customers also can sign up for text messages about storm and restoration efforts by texting REG to 36778.

·The Entergy Storm Centerwebsite has storm safety, preparation and restoration information that is updated throughout the day.

·Operation: Storm Ready Guide is a free downloadable guide that helps customers plan and prepare for weather emergencies.

·Social media plays an important role in keeping customers informed. Follow Entergy Texas on Twitter at @EntergyTX and Facebook.com/EntergyTX.

Jami Landis