Entergy Texas selected North Carolina-based United Utility to support distribution system resiliency and strengthen the south-east Texas power grid.

United provides electric utility infrastructure services, and has become a partner in the multiyear Texas Future Ready Resiliency Plan.

This partnership positions United Utility as one of the largest providers of electric grid resilience programmes in the USA, while also expanding the company’s presence in Texas. United Utility is supporting similar grid hardening programmes for Entergy Louisiana, Duke Energy in Florida and NextEra Energy in Florida.

“We’re incredibly excited Entergy Texas has chosen to expand our partnership to support their large-scale grid resiliency programme,” said Ty Carmeans, west region president at United Utility. “As a national leader in grid resilience services for electric utilities, United Utility is an ideal partner for Entergy Texas to design and construct the grid enhancements that will reduce storm-related outages times and restoration costs for families and businesses across south-east Texas.”

As part of this programme, United Utility will provide engineering design, construction and material management services, as well as front-end loading, or pole inspections, using aerial drones and ground inspections. Engineering design work is expected to begin this month, with construction to follow in the autumn.

The Public Utility Commission of Texas unanimously approved the first phase of Entergy’s Texas Future Ready Resiliency Plan in January. United Utility was selected as Entergy Texas’ alliance partner for distribution system resiliency in accordance with the PUC filing. 

The first phase of the plan will be implemented over three years and includes $137m in projects to strengthen the south-east Texas power grid, reduce storm-related outages and save millions in restoration costs in coming decades.

United Utility (unitedutility.com) provides infrastructure services for North America’s power grid. These range from design, construction and installation to repairs and maintenance for electrical power transmission and distribution systems, substations, smart grids and more.

Entergy Texas (entergytexas.com) provides electricity to 524,000 users in 27 counties. It is a subsidiary of New Orleans-based Entergy, which produces, transmits and distributes electricity to three million users in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. It has about 12,000 employees.