Entergy says advance preparation helped minimize winter storm outages in Arkansas

PHOTO: Freezing rain on an electric pole and wire. | Shutterstock Images

From Entergy Arkansas

While Arkansas experienced widespread snow, sleet and freezing rain, Entergy Arkansas customers experienced fewer power outages than anticipated, thanks in large part to extensive advance preparation and system-hardening efforts, the company reported Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026.

As power remains stable in the state, Entergy Arkansas is now sending around 200 lineworkers and support management personnel in mutual assistance to Louisiana and Mississippi to assist with their restoration efforts.

Ahead of the storm, Entergy Arkansas crews took proactive steps to reduce potential outages, including aggressive vegetation management. In the days leading up to the storm, crews trimmed approximately 1,400 trees near power lines to help prevent limbs and debris from falling and causing damage during icy conditions.

“Winter weather in Arkansas can be unpredictable, especially when ice is involved,” said Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas. “Our crews were prepared for this storm and as we focus on providing better power as part of our Next Generation Arkansas initiative in the coming years, we are committed to continuing to make investments that withstand extreme weather.”

To help reduce the risk of outages and support restoration efforts, Entergy Arkansas:

• Had more than 3,500 workers and specialized equipment staged across the state and ready to respond, which allowed for faster restoration efforts.
• Inspected substations, transmission lines and other critical infrastructure.
• Insulated power plant equipment and piping where needed.
• Used real-time data from advanced metering infrastructure to monitor the power load and keep it balanced, helping provide enough power for customers.   
• Worked with local officials to identify and support warming centers in impacted areas.

These efforts along with the company’s strategic investments over the years have positioned Arkansas with the balanced, “all-of-the-above” energy mix approach needed to combat extreme weather events and complements the company’s ongoing reliability work to keep the electric system resilient throughout the year.

Entergy Arkansas said it prepares year-round for severe weather and continues to evaluate system performance, using lessons learned from this storm to further strengthen reliability efforts, including ongoing vegetation management and infrastructure upgrades.