NOLA.com: S&WB to switch to Entergy New Orleans power in major shift in drainage system operations
For years, the Sewerage & Water Board has struggled with aging and unreliable equipment that powers its massive system of pumps, leaving the system that drains the city at risk every time a storm rolls through.
And for just as long, officials and experts have recommended abandoning those turbines – some a century old and in need of custom-made parts when they break down – and moving the public utility fully onto Entergy New Orleans’ grid.
Those plans are finally set to come to fruition. On Wednesday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced a $74 million deal between the two utilities that would split the cost of switching the S&WB over to Entergy power.