Energy company in Louisiana proposes to soar above climate change impacts - literallyairborne
In a bid to bolster the resilience of south Louisiana's oil and gas infrastructure against extreme weather, Entergy Louisiana has proposed a $441 million floating natural gas power plant. Known as the Bayou Power Station, the project aims to provide a quick and reliable power source during weather emergencies.
The proposed power plant, with a capacity of 112 megawatts, would have the ability to disconnect from the grid and provide electricity to around 7,000 residential, industrial, and commercial entities. It would also include black-start capability, allowing it to rapidly start up and ramp down without being connected to other parts of the energy grid.
The plans for the Bayou Power Station were presented to the Louisiana Public Service Commission by Entergy Louisiana, following damage caused by Hurricane Zeta to a major transmission line serving the area. The power plant could supply electricity to locations such as Port Fourchon, the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, and communities like Golden Meadow, Leeville, and Grand Isle.
However, the proposal has been met with controversy due to concerns about adding more greenhouse gasses to a region already experiencing massive land loss due to climate change. The Alliance for Affordable Energy has questioned why the Louisiana Public Service Commission should approve the Bayou Power Station, given the performance of the New Orleans gas plant in a recent storm. Entergy New Orleans, a sister company, promised similar benefits for a 128-MW natural gas plant in eastern New Orleans, but it took almost three days for the plant to become operational after Hurricane Ida in 2021.
In its filing with the Louisiana Public Service Commission, Entergy Louisiana did not provide the cost to replace its downed transmission line. The company, however, states that building the power plant is cheaper than constructing a new transmission line through wetlands and marshes. The power plant's construction is also intended to address critical oil and gas customers in Port Fourchon.
The interconnection of the Bayou Power Station would add a resilient power source to the Entergy Louisiana grid, enabling storm restoration options following a significant weather event. The construction of the power station is expected to create around 400 jobs during its peak construction phase.
The article was originally published by Floodlight.
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