Western Louisiana's main power utility said it must "rebuild" the power grid supplying almost 1mn b/d of US refining capacity and hundreds of thousands of customers after Hurricane Laura tore facilities apart.
Entergy estimated today that "catastrophic damages" to nine transmission lines and surrounding power infrastructure would take two to three weeks to return power to the first customers in the Lake Charles, Louisiana, area. Many power structures in the area were beyond repair, the company said.
"This is not a restoration," Entergy Louisiana chief executive Phillip May said. "It is almost a complete rebuild of our transmission and distribution system that serves Calcasieu and Cameron parishes."
Hurricane Laura churned ashore on 27 August near Cameron, Louisiana, with wind speeds near 150mph (240 km/h). The storm largely spared the broader Louisiana and east Texas refining center, where about 16pc of US refining capacity had idled or reduced rates to prepare for the hurricane. But hardest-hit Lake Charles, where three refineries operate, saw devastating wind damage.
Entergy had no specific estimate for restoring the higher-capacity lines needed to support industrial operations. Emergency services, hospitals, water departments and other essential services remained the priority, followed by powering up the areas that would supply the most customers at a time.
"We understand the challenges facing all of our customers, including those that provide goods and services to others, and are working around the clock to restore power as safely and as quickly as possible," the utility said.
Citgo estimated its 425,000 b/d Lake Charles refinery would need 4-6 weeks of repair. A nearby chemical fire forced Phillips 66 to wait for days to assess its 249,000 b/d Lake Charles refinery. The US independent refiner has not commented on its status. Calcasieu Refining, which idled its 136,000 b/d refinery at the beginning of August, could not be reached for comment on its facility.
Power outages have slowed restarts near Port Arthur, Texas, where 1.5mn b/d of refining capacity was working to restore operations after shutting ahead of the storm. Total did not respond to questions about an estimated two weeks needed to restore power to its 240,000 b/d facility and an associated terminal. The company notified environmental regulators of restart efforts underway late last week. ExxonMobil, Valero and Motiva have all reported restart work in the area.
