Research Center
Louisiana Business Profile
Utilities
ELECTRIC POWER AND FUEL
Entergy Corporation is Louisiana's largest power supplier with operating
companies Entergy Gulf States, Entergy Louisiana, and Entergy New Orleans
providing electric energy to 1.1 million customers. Through its operating
companies, Entergy serves 59 of the state's 64 parishes (counties). Entergy is
the leading electric energy supplier to the Middle South, a region comprised
of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and east Texas.
The Entergy system utilizes a vast interconnected transmission and
distribution network of more than 110,000 miles of lines and a balanced system
of fossil fuel and nuclear generating plants. Generating capacity is enough to
provide the electric service needs of customers well into the next decade and
beyond. As part of the Entergy Corporation system, Entergy Gulf States,
Entergy Louisiana, and Entergy New Orleans have access to additional capacity
for business expansion. Such capacity needs are expected to be met by
appropriate combinations of load management, peaking/combined cycle gas units,
conservation, life extensions to existing power plants, or power purchases.
Transmission Access
Entergy's transmission grid consists of a backbone 500kv system with an
underlying network of 230kv, 138kv, 115kv, and 69kv lines across south
Louisiana. The company has over 30 high voltage interconnections to several
adjacent utilities. As a result, approximately 5,000 Mw of emergency power can
be imported into south Louisiana. Those transmission ties allow the company to
purchase economy power on an as, if, and when available basis. Including
additional lines of lower kv capacity, Entergy maintains over 60
interconnections with non-system utilities.
Electrical Costs
Entergy has kept its pricing competitive. According to Energy User News, July
1988, 112 of 153 companies throughout the United States charged higher rates
than Entergy to industrial users of electric energy. Large industrial
customers who locate in Entergy's service territory may qualify for an
expansion rate when the expansion results in significant increases in usage.
Further, Entergy offers a special economic development rate for firms that
provide a qualifying number of new jobs for a community.
NATURAL GAS
Louisiana leads the nation in production of clean-burning, inexpensive natural
gas. Plentiful supplies are available for commercial applications and
industrial processes.
WATER RESOURCES
Louisiana has an abundance of water resources with numerous streams, lakes and
waterways, extensive wetlands, and some of the most productive freshwater
aquifers in North America. The most famous is the Mississippi River which
collects water from 42 percent of America's land mass and is the third largest
drainage basin the world. The state's other rivers and tributaries combine
with the Mississippi to provide an uninterrupted source of fresh water vital
to numerous manufacturing processes.
Ground water is the source for 85 percent of all public supply systems and for
virtually all domestic rural users. Water quality is good to excellent for
most uses with minimal treatment generally required for municipal use.
Water is one of Louisiana's most valuable resources and the state is
determined to maintain high water standards to prevent and eliminate water
pollution. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Water
Resources, prepares an annual plan for the prevention, reduction, and
elimination of water pollution.
Special tax incentives and financing are available for pollution control
equipment.
SOLID/HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL
There are two main waste disposal companies located within the state that
serve the largest percentage of residential and commercial customers, Browning
Ferris Industries and Waste Management Inc. In addition to these companies,
waste disposal is provided by municipalities and private companies.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Linking to Louisiana to the rest of the world are some of the most advanced
telecommunications facilities available today, including satellite, cellular
and Point of Presence capabilities. South Central Bell, a subsidiary of
BellSouth Corporation, provides a myriad of services ranging from basic
residential lines to sophisticated, private-line systems that allow customers
to create their own high-speed digital networks. Century Cellular Telephone,
headquartered in Monroe, is one of the nation's leading long-distance and
cellular carriers. And AT&T chose Louisiana as the home for its Long Distance
Services division's regional telemarketing center. In addition to South
Central Bell, there are 21 jurisdictional telephone companies providing local
services.
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