Entergy and SLEC helping Bayou Region recover and grow

Entergy Louisiana is continuing to partner with regional organizations to help areas of the state like the Bayou Region not only recover, but also grow and prosper through economic development. One of the organizations helping us create a more vibrant economy is the South Louisiana Economic Council (SLEC).

The company recently provided approximately $135,000 to SLEC to help fund efforts to retain businesses and jobs and attract new companies and industries to the area, diversify the local economy to meet future needs of the state and energy sector and develop a strategic plan to accelerate post pandemic and storm recovery efforts in the parishes of Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary and Terrebonne.

The organization expects to introduce details of the strategic plan soon and carry out various initiatives over the following year.

“SLEC is grateful for its partnership with Entergy and the resources they provide to assist with the continuous development of Louisiana’s Bayou Region,” said Vic Lafont, SLEC president and CEO. “Our efforts in business attraction, alongside the development of a new strategic plan, are working to diversify our business environment and address key needs of the region.”

Through its business and economic development team, Entergy works with state and local government agencies like Louisiana Economic Development, economic development organizations like SLEC and community partners to support businesses from site selection to groundbreaking, including those operating at the national and global level.

To help businesses determine where to locate or expand, Entergy developed and maintains a buildings and sites website called the Site Selection Center. The site includes details about development-ready land, including available utilities and transportation access.

To support site development, Entergy provides in-depth research and analyses regarding workforce availability, construction and transportation, to name a few. To learn more about the services provided by the company’s business and economic development team, visit goentegy.com.

Beyond the business and economic development team’s efforts and the company’s partnership with organization’s like SLEC, Entergy is also driving economic development by:

• Building a more reliable and resilient power grid, which is important to supporting a swift recovery following major weather events.
• Working with customers directly to help them meet sustainability goals like electrifying industrial processes and lowering emissions.

Some examples of these efforts include the shore power project at Port Fourchon, a commitment to exploring wind power in the Gulf of Mexico and the completion of several transmission and distribution projects:

• Entergy completes longest underground project in company history
• Entergy Louisiana completes transmission upgrade in Lafourche Parish
• Entergy Louisiana constructing new substation, distribution circuits in Lafourche Parish

“The Bayou Region’s recovery and success is critical to creating a more vibrant economy in south Louisiana,” said Perry Pertuit, Entergy Louisiana new business development manager. “We’re proud to continue our longstanding partnership with SLEC as they take steps to create and implement a strategic plan that can help create more resilient and sustainable communities that offer diverse opportunities for people where they are. Working together, I know we can help ensure a bright future for the Bayou Region.”

Over this last decade, Entergy has actively participated in more than 130 announced economic development projects in Louisiana, totaling more than $106 billion in capital investments and creating approximately 17,380 new direct jobs. For 15 years running, Site Selection magazine has named Entergy Corporation as one of the nation’s top utilities in economic development.

To learn more about how Entergy partners with LED and regional organizations to help the state grow through economic development, visit the Entergy Newsroom.